Shloka 74

Devanagari script

यत्र व्यस्ता: समस्ताश्ष निर्जिता: स्थ किरीटिना । शृगाला इव सिंहेन क्व ते वीर्यम भूत्‌ तदा,वहाँ तो किरीटधारी अर्जुनने अलग-अलग और सब लोगोंसे एक साथ लड़कर भी तुमलोगोंको उसी प्रकार परास्त कर दिया था, जैसे एक ही सिंहने बहुत-से सियारोंको मार भगाया हो। कर्ण! उस समय तुम्हारा पराक्रम कहाँ था?

Transliteration

yatra vyastāḥ samastāś ca nirjitāḥ sma kirīṭinā | śṛgālā iva siṁhena kva te vīryam abhūt tadā ||

Translation

Là, quand bien même vous étiez dispersés et pourtant rassemblés, vous fûtes vaincus par Arjuna au diadème—comme une multitude de chacals est mise en fuite par un seul lion. Karṇa, où était donc ta vaillance ?

Word by Word

यत्रwhere

व्यस्ताःseparated, individually arranged

समस्ताःtogether, all at once

निर्जिताःdefeated, conquered

स्थyou were

किरीटिनाby the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)

शृगालाःjackals

इवlike, as

सिंहेनby a lion

क्वwhere?

तेyour

वीर्यम्valor, prowess

अभूत्was, existed

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

काक उवाच

Characters & Entities

क

काक (Kāka)

क

कर्ण (Karṇa)

अ

अर्जुन (Arjuna, Kirīṭin)

श

शृगाल (jackals)

स

सिंह (lion)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse challenges empty claims of heroism: true vīrya is proven by conduct and outcomes, not by later boasting. It uses a sharp simile to expose the gap between self-image and demonstrated capability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kāka addresses Karṇa, recalling an earlier encounter where Arjuna (Kirīṭin) defeated them even when they were both dispersed and assembled. Kāka taunts Karṇa by asking where his prowess was at that moment.