Shloka 5

Devanagari script

वधं कर्णस्य संग्रामे दीर्घकालचिकीर्षितम्‌ । निवेद्य धर्मराजाय त्वमानृण्यं गमिष्यसि,“उन्हें दीर्घकालसे युद्धमें कर्णके वधकी अभिलाषा थी। आज धर्मराजको यह समाचार बताकर तुम उऋण हो जाओगे

Transliteration

vadhaṁ karṇasya saṅgrāme dīrghakālacikīrṣitam | nivedya dharmarājāya tvam ānṛṇyaṁ gamiṣyasi |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «La mise à mort de Karṇa au combat était voulue depuis longtemps. Quand tu en auras porté la nouvelle au roi Dharmarāja, tu seras délié de ton obligation (ton devoir de messager sera accompli).»

Word by Word

वधम्killing, slaying

कर्णस्यof Karna

संग्रामेin battle

दीर्घकालचिकीर्षितम्long intended (for a long time)

निवेद्यhaving reported/informed

धर्मराजायto Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)

त्वम्you

आनृण्यम्freedom from debt/obligation

गमिष्यसिyou will go/attain

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Karna

Dharmaraja (Yudhiṣṭhira)

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 highlights dharma as the faithful discharge of one’s assigned responsibility: conveying truthful, consequential news to the rightful authority. ‘Ānṛṇya’ frames duty as a moral debt that is cleared by completing one’s role without evasion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya states that Karna’s death in the battle was long anticipated/aimed at, and instructs that once this outcome is reported to Dharmaraja (Yudhiṣṭhira), the messenger will have fulfilled his obligation and be ‘free of debt’—i.e., his task is complete.