Shloka 1

Chapter 61: Karṇa’s martial assurances and Bhīṣma’s strategic rebuttal in the Kuru assembly

Devanagari script

अपन का छा ] अतऑफा<ज द्विषष्टितमो<5 ध्याय: कर्णकी आत्मप्रशंसा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tathā tu pṛcchantam atīva pārtha vaicitravīryaṃ tam acintayitvā | uvāca karṇo dhṛtarāṣṭraputraṃ praharṣayan saṃsadi kauravāṇām ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing that Vaicitravīrya’s son (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) was repeatedly and insistently questioning about Pārtha (Arjuna), Karṇa—paying him no heed—spoke in the Kaurava assembly, delighting Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana).

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तथा: thus/so
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पृच्छन्तम्: asking (repeatedly)
• पृच्छन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ्
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अतीव: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वैचित्रवीर्यम्: Vicitravīrya’s descendant (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• वैचित्रवीर्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैचित्रवीर्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अचिन्तयित्वा: having not considered / disregarding
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रम्: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana)
• धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रहर्षन्: rejoicing / delighting
• प्रहर्षन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष्
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संसदि: in the assembly
• संसदि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसद्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कौरवाणाम्: of the Kauravas
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Karṇa
• Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭraputra)
• Kaurava assembly (saṃsad)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how courtly discourse can be driven by ego and factional loyalty: Karṇa disregards Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s anxious questioning about Arjuna and instead speaks to hearten Duryodhana, showing how partial counsel can inflame conflict rather than restrain it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra repeatedly asks about Arjuna; Karṇa ignores Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s concern and addresses Duryodhana in the Kaurava court, speaking in a way that cheers and emboldens him.