Shloka 19

Droṇasya raudra-prayogaḥ

Droṇa’s intensified assault and the Pāṇḍava response

Devanagari script

न भीष्मव्यसनं कश्रिद्‌ दृष्टया कर्णममन्यत

Transliteration

na bhīṣmavyasanaṃ kaścid dṛṣṭvā karṇam amanyata

Translation

Sañjaya dit : À la vue de Karṇa, nul ne tint le malheur de Bhīṣma pour décisif—sa chute ne leur parut pas la fin de la cause des Kaurava, car la présence de Karṇa ranima leur confiance dans la guerre.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भीष्म-व्यसनम्: the calamity/disaster of Bhīṣma
• भीष्म-व्यसनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कश्चित्: anyone, someone
• कश्चित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

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

• अमन्यत: thought/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Karṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective judgment in war is shaped by perceived leadership and capability: a severe loss (Bhīṣma’s downfall) may not be treated as final when a formidable figure (Karṇa) stands ready, showing the ethical and psychological dimension of confidence, dependence on champions, and the instability of worldly assessments.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, after Bhīṣma’s misfortune, the Kaurava side did not view the setback as conclusive because they saw Karṇa—implying renewed hope and readiness to continue the battle under new martial strength.