Shloka 38

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140

Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents

Devanagari script

गोविन्द! जनार्दन! विचित्र ध्वजदण्डोंसे सुशोभित निर्मल रथपंक्तियाँ ही इस रणयज्ञमें यूपोंका काम करेंगी ।।

Transliteration

govinda! janārdana! vicitra-dhvajadaṇḍaiḥ suśobhitā nirmala-ratha-paṅktaya eva asmin raṇa-yajñe yūpānāṃ kāryaṃ kariṣyanti. karṇi-nālika-nārācā vatsadantopabṛṃhaṇāḥ; tomarāḥ soma-kalaśāḥ; pavitrāṇi dhanūṃṣi ca.

Translation

कर्ण ने कहा—“गोविन्द, जनार्दन! विचित्र ध्वजदण्डों से सुशोभित निर्मल रथ-पंक्तियाँ ही इस रण-यज्ञ में यूप का काम करेंगी। कर्णि, नालीक, नाराच और वत्सदन्त आदि बाण उपबृंहण (सहायक पात्र) होंगे; तोमर सोमकलश बनेंगे; और धनुष पवित्र (छाननी) का कार्य करेंगे।”

Word by Word

• {'govinda': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'janārdana': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'vicitra': 'variegated, wondrous, splendid', 'dhvaja-daṇḍa': 'flagstaff, banner-pole (on a chariot)', 'suśobhitāḥ': 'beautifully adorned, resplendent', 'nirmala': 'pure, spotless, bright', 'ratha-paṅkti': 'row/line of chariots', 'raṇa-yajña': '‘sacrifice of battle’

• war conceived as a yajña', 'yūpa': 'sacrificial post (to which the victim is tied in Vedic ritual)', 'karṇi': 'a type of arrow (name of a particular shaft/head)', 'nālika': 'a type of arrow (reed-like/with tubular shaft

• technical term for a missile)', 'nārāca': 'iron-pointed arrow

• a well-known arrow type', 'vatsadanta': '‘calf-tooth’

• a type of arrow (named by shape/point)', 'upabṛṃhaṇa': 'auxiliary/strengthening rite or implement

• here: subsidiary offering implements (e.g., ladles/cups used in Soma ritual)', 'tomara': 'spear, javelin', 'soma-kalaśa': 'Soma-vessel/pitcher used in Soma sacrifice', 'pavitra': 'purifier/strainer (esp. for Soma)

• also ‘purifying instrument’', 'dhanus': 'bow'}

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Govinda (Krishna)
• Janardana (Krishna)
• chariot rows (ratha-paṅkti)
• flagstaffs (dhvaja-daṇḍa)
• sacrificial post (yūpa)
• arrows: karṇi, nālika, nārāca, vatsadanta
• tomara (spears/javelins)
• Soma-vessel (soma-kalaśa)
• bow (dhanus)
• purifying strainer (pavitra)
• battle-sacrifice (raṇa-yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a kṣatriya-style ethical rationalization: war is framed as a solemn yajña where weapons and military formations become ritual implements. This sacralization does not remove violence, but it seeks to place it under a code of duty and gravity, implying that actions in war should be performed with disciplined intent rather than mere cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Krishna (Govinda/Janardana) and uses extended sacrificial metaphors to describe the impending battle. He declares that chariot lines will function like yūpa-posts, arrows like auxiliary offering tools, spears like Soma vessels, and bows like purifying strainers—depicting the battlefield as a ritual arena.