Shloka 24

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो5ब्रवीत्‌ पार्थ केशवो राजसत्तम

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

evam ukto 'bravīt pārtha keśavo rājasattama |

kathaṁ bhavān raṇe karṇaṁ nihanyād iti sattama ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Dicho esto, Keśava habló a Pārtha (Arjuna), oh el mejor de los reyes: “¿Cómo habrás de dar muerte a Karṇa en la batalla?”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्तः: having been spoken to / addressed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थ: O son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• केशवः: Keshava (Krishna)
• केशवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजसत्तम: O best of kings
• राजसत्तम: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निहन्यात्: should slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, नि

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• सत्तम: O best of the good / O excellent one
• सत्तम: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Karṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical pressure of kṣatriya-dharma in war: when a conflict has become unavoidable, decisive action against a principal aggressor is framed as necessary for restoring order. Kṛṣṇa’s counsel aims to strengthen Arjuna’s resolve so that duty and strategic necessity are not undermined by hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) addresses Arjuna (Pārtha), asking how he will manage to slay Karṇa in battle. The line functions as a prompt toward planning and execution against Karṇa, one of the Kaurava side’s greatest warriors.