Shloka 5

अध्याय ४ — भीष्मेन कर्णोत्साहनम्

Bhīṣma’s Encouragement of Karṇa

Devanagari script

स्वबाहुबलवीर्येण धार्तराष्ट्रजयैषिणा । कर्ण राजपुरं गत्वा काम्बोजा निर्जितास्त्वया,“कर्ण! तुमने दुर्योधनके लिये विजयकी इच्छा रखकर अपनी भुजाओंके बल और पराक्रमसे राजपुरमें जाकर समस्त काम्बोजोंपर विजय पायी है

Transliteration

svabāhubalavīryeṇa dhārtarāṣṭrajayaiṣiṇā | karṇa rājapuraṁ gatvā kāmbojā nirjitāstvayā ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Ô Karṇa, cherchant la victoire pour le fils de Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana), tu es allé à Rājapura et, par la force et la vaillance de tes propres bras, tu as soumis tous les Kāmbojas.»

Word by Word

स्वby (one's) own

बाहु-बल-वीर्येणby (your) arm-strength and prowess

धार्तराष्ट्र-जय-एषिणाseeking victory for the Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

कर्णO Karṇa

राज-पुरम्the royal city (Rājapura)

गत्वाhaving gone

काम्बोजाःthe Kāmbojas

निर्जिताःconquered/defeated

त्वयाby you

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

Rājapura

Kāmbojas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral complexity of valor: extraordinary personal strength and courage can be ethically ambiguous when directed toward partisan victory. It invites reflection on how loyalty and ambition can channel heroism into the machinery of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses Karṇa, recalling that Karṇa went to a place called Rājapura and conquered the Kāmbojas, motivated by the aim of securing victory for Duryodhana (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son).