Shloka 16

अध्याय ४ — भीष्मेन कर्णोत्साहनम्

Bhīṣma’s Encouragement of Karṇa

Devanagari script

सो5भिवीक्ष्य नरौघाणां स्थानमप्रतिमं महत्‌ । व्यूढप्रहरणोरस्कं॑ सैन्यं तत्‌ समबृंहयत्‌,वहाँ कर्णने कौरव सैनिकोंका वह अनुपम एवं विशाल स्थान देखा। समस्त सैनिक व्यूहाकारमें खड़े थे और अपने वक्ष:स्थलके समीप अनेक प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंको बाँधे हुए थे। कर्णने उस समय सारी कौरव-सेनाको उत्साहित किया

Transliteration

so ’bhivīkṣya naraughāṇāṁ sthānam apratimaṁ mahat | vyūḍha-praharaṇoraskaṁ sainyaṁ tat samabṛṁhayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Voyant cette position immense et sans pareille de la masse des guerriers — une armée rangée en formation, portant armes et cuirasses sur la poitrine — Karṇa affermit alors le courage de l’ost des Kauravas, les éveillant au combat imminent.

Word by Word

• {'so (saḥ)': 'he (Karna)', 'abhivīkṣya': 'having looked upon, observing closely', 'naraughāṇām': 'of the multitude/host of men (warriors)', 'sthānam': 'position, station, emplacement', 'apratimam': 'incomparable, matchless', 'mahat': 'great, vast', 'vyūḍha': 'arrayed, drawn up (in battle formation)', 'praharaṇa': 'weapon, implement of striking', 'uraskaṁ (uras-kam)': 'upon the chest

• chest-borne (i.e., armed/armored at the breast)', 'sainyam': 'army', 'tat': 'that (army/host)', 'samabṛṁhayat': 'he increased, strengthened, encouraged (morale)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Kaurava army
• weapons (praharaṇa)
• battle formation (vyūha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a wartime ethic of leadership: a commander must assess the situation clearly (seeing the army’s formation and readiness) and then strengthen the resolve of his troops. It underscores the practical side of kṣatriya-duty—organization, preparedness, and sustaining morale amid impending violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Karna observes the Kaurava forces standing in a well-ordered battle array, armed and armored, occupying a vast and impressive position. After taking in this sight, Karna boosts and emboldens the entire Kaurava army.