Shloka 19

Nārada’s Account of the Kaliṅga Svayaṃvara: Duryodhana’s Seizure and Karṇa’s Escort

Devanagari script

लाघवाद्‌ व्याकुलीकृत्य कर्ण: प्रहरतां वर: । हतसूतांश्व भूयिष्ठानवजिग्ये नराधिपान्‌

Transliteration

lāghavād vyākulīkṛtya karṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ | hatasūtānśva bhūyiṣṭhān avajigye narādhipān ||

Translation

Dengan kelincahan ia mengacaukan barisan musuh; Karṇa, yang terunggul dalam menghantam, setelah menewaskan banyak kusir dan kuda, berulang kali menundukkan para raja itu.

Word by Word

लाघवात्by/through lightness (agility)

व्याकुलीकृत्यhaving thrown into confusion

कर्णःKarna

प्रहरताम्(of) those who were striking/attacking

वरःthe best, the foremost

हतसूतान्those whose charioteers were slain

चand

अश्वान्horses

भूयिष्ठान्most, very many

अवजिग्येdefeated, overcame

नराधिपान्kings, rulers of men

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Karṇa

sūta (charioteers)

aśva (horses)

narādhipa (kings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that dominance in conflict can arise from speed, precision, and disruption of an opponent’s support system (charioteers and horses). Ethically, it hints that outcomes in war are shaped as much by tactical destruction of enabling structures as by direct confrontation with leaders.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes Karṇa’s performance in battle: through swift attacks he confuses the opposing side, kills many charioteers and horses, and thereby repeatedly defeats numerous kings.