Shloka 43

Devanagari script

शर्म वर्म प्रतिष्ठा च जीविताशा च संजय । शत्रुसूदन राधापुत्र कर्णने भी अपनी प्रतिज्ञाके अनुसार सारा कार्य किया। संजय! वही समस्त कौरव-योद्धाओंका कल्याणकारी आश्रय, कवचके समान संरक्षक, प्रतिष्ठा और जीवनकी आशा था,चिच्छेद बहुधा कर्णो योधव्रतमनुष्ठित: । राजन! योद्धाओंके व्रतका पालन करनेवाले कर्णने हाथीदाँतकी बनी हुई मूठवाले खड्गों, ध्वजों, शक्तियों, घोड़ों, हाथियों, नाना प्रकारके रथों, पताकाओं, व्यजनों, धुरों, जूओं, जोतों और भाँति-भाँतिके पहियोंके टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर डाले | ४१-४२ $ ।। तत्र भारत कर्णेन निहतैर्गजवाजिभि:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

śarma varma pratiṣṭhā ca jīvitāśā ca sañjaya |

śatrusūdana rādheyaḥ karṇo hi svapratijñayā sarvaṃ karma cakāra |

sañjaya! sa eva samasta-kaurava-yoddhṝṇāṃ kalyāṇakārī āśrayaḥ, kavaca-sadṛśaḥ saṃrakṣakaḥ, pratiṣṭhā ca jīvitāśā ca āsīt |

chiccheda bahudhā karṇo yodha-vratam anuṣṭhitaḥ |

rājan! yodha-vrata-pālakaḥ karṇo hastidanta-muṣṭi-kṛtān khaḍgān, dhvajān, śaktīḥ, aśvān, gajān, nānā-vidhān rathān, patākāḥ, vyajanāni, dhurān, yūgān, yotāni ca, bhinna-bhinna-cakra-khaṇḍāni ca ciccheda |

tatra bhārata karṇena nihatāir gaja-vājibhiḥ ...

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, Karna—putra Radha, penumpas musuh—menunaikan ikrarnya dan menyelesaikan segala yang telah dijanjikannya. Bagi para kesatria Kaurawa, dialah tumpuan yang membawa keselamatan: pelindung laksana zirah, kehormatan mereka, dan harapan hidup mereka. Menegakkan dharma kesatria, Karna menghancurkan banyak hal di kancah perang: pedang bergagang gading, panji dan bendera, tombak, kuda dan gajah; kereta-kereta beraneka rupa, kipas kebesaran; juga as, kuk, tali-temali, dan roda-roda—semuanya diserpihkannya. Di sana, wahai Bharata, medan perang pun dipenuhi gajah dan kuda yang ditewaskan oleh Karna.”

Word by Word

चिच्छेदcut, he cut

बहुधाin many ways / repeatedly

कर्णःKarna

योधव्रतम्the warrior’s vow/duty

अनुष्ठितःhaving performed / having observed

तत्रthere

भारतO Bharata

कर्णेनby Karna

निहतैःslain

गजवाजिभिःby elephants and horses

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by rājan/bhārata address)

Karna

Rādhā (as Karna’s foster-mother, via rādheya/rādhāputra)

Kaurava warriors

swords (khaḍga) with ivory hilts (hastidanta-muṣṭi)

standards (dhvaja)

banners/flags (patākā)

spears/lances (śakti)

horses (aśva)

elephants (gaja)

chariots (ratha)

fans (vyajana)

yokes/poles/harness parts (yuga, dhurā, yotāni)

wheels (cakra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the power of a solemn vow (pratijñā) and the ideal of yodha-vrata—steadfast adherence to the warrior’s code. Ethically, it portrays how personal resolve and martial duty can make one a ‘refuge’ for allies, while also reminding the reader that such excellence operates within the destructive reality of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Karna, keeping his pledge, fought with overwhelming force. He shattered weapons, standards, chariots, and battlefield equipment, and slew many horses and elephants, becoming the Kauravas’ chief support and protector in that phase of the battle.