Shloka 42

कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्

Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words

Devanagari script

शोणितै: सिच्यमानानि शस्त्राणि कवचानि च

Transliteration

śoṇitaiḥ sicyamānāni śastrāṇi kavacāni ca

Translation

Senjata-senjata dan baju zirah sedang tersiram darah.

Word by Word

• शोणितैः: with blood
• शोणितैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सिच्यमानानि: being sprinkled/drenched
• सिच्यमानानि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिच्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), Passive, Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शस्त्राणि: weapons
• शस्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• कवचानि: armours
• कवचानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• blood (śoṇita)
• weapons (śastra)
• armour (kavaca)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral weight of warfare: even when framed as duty, battle results in pervasive bloodshed, urging reflection on the cost of violence and the gravity of choosing war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing the battlefield scene in vivid, sensory terms—arms and armour are being soaked with blood—conveying the intensity of the fighting in the Karṇa Parva.