Shloka 20

अर्जुन-कर्ण-सङ्ग्रामः

Arjuna–Karna Engagement in the Cattle-Raid Aftermath

Devanagari script

सह युध्यामहे पार्थमागतं युद्धदुर्मदम्‌ । सैन्यास्तिष्ठन्तु संनद्धा व्यूढानीका: प्रहारिण:

Transliteration

saha yudhyāmahe pārtham āgataṃ yuddha-durmadam | sainyās tiṣṭhantu saṃnaddhā vyūḍhānīkāḥ prahāriṇaḥ ||

Translation

Kripa dit : «Unissons-nous donc tous et combattons Pārtha (Arjuna), venu ici comme enivré par la fureur du combat. Que les troupes se tiennent prêtes, cuirassées ; que l’on forme le dispositif de bataille, et que tous soient prêts à frapper.»

Word by Word

• {'saha': 'together

• in concert', 'yudhyāmahe': 'let us fight (1st person plural, optative/imperative sense)', 'pārtham': 'Pārtha

• Arjuna, son of Pṛthā (Kuntī)', 'āgatam': 'come

• present here', 'yuddha-durmadam': 'made arrogant/maddened by war

• battle-frenzied', 'sainyāḥ': 'soldiers

• troops', 'tiṣṭhantu': 'let them stand

• let them remain stationed', 'saṃnaddhāḥ': 'armed

• fully equipped', 'vyūḍha-anīkāḥ': 'with ranks/companies arranged

• drawn up in formation', 'prahāriṇaḥ': 'strikers

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• army/troops
• battle-array (vyūha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of organized, collective readiness in warfare: armor, formation, and coordinated action are presented as the proper means to meet a formidable opponent. Ethically, it reflects how duty and strategic discipline can be invoked even when the decision is to escalate violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa urges his side to confront Arjuna directly. He calls for the troops to arm themselves, form a proper battle-array, and prepare to strike—indicating that Arjuna’s presence has been recognized as a serious threat requiring immediate, organized military response.