Shloka 94

Devanagari script

तान्‌ कर्णस्त्वग्रतो न्यस्तान्‌ मोघांश्षक्रे महारथ: । ततोअब्रवीद्‌ वृष्णिवीरस्तस्मिन्नस्त्रे विनाशिते,महारथी कर्णने अपने सामने आये हुए उन सभी बाणोंको व्यर्थ कर दिया। उस अस्त्रके नष्ट कर दिये जानेपर वृष्णिवंशी वीर भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णने कहा--

Transliteration

tān karṇas tv agrato nyastān moghāñ śakre mahārathaḥ | tato 'bravīd vṛṣṇivīras tasminn astre vināśite ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Le grand guerrier de char, Karṇa, rendit vains tous les traits lancés devant lui. Lorsque cette arme eut ainsi été neutralisée, le héros des Vṛṣṇi—Śrī Kṛṣṇa—prit la parole, marquant un tournant décisif dans la tension morale et stratégique du combat.

Word by Word

तान्those (them)

कर्णःKarna

तुbut/indeed

अग्रतःin front

न्यस्तान्placed/laid down (set forth)

मोघान्futile/ineffective

चक्रेmade (rendered)

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

ततःthen/thereupon

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

वृष्णिवीरःthe Vrishni hero (Krishna)

तस्मिन्in/when that

अस्त्रेweapon (missile)

विनाशितेhaving been destroyed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Astra (weapon/missile)

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?

Power in war is not merely force but mastery and discernment: even formidable attacks can be rendered ineffective by superior skill and preparedness. The moment also frames Kṛṣṇa’s role as moral-strategic guide—speech and counsel follow the neutralization of violence, steering action toward the larger dharmic outcome.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa–Arjuna conflict as narrated by Sañjaya, Karṇa counters and nullifies the missiles launched against him. With that particular weapon’s effect ended, Kṛṣṇa (the Vṛṣṇi hero, Arjuna’s charioteer) begins to speak, signaling the next tactical and narrative development.