Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः क्षिप्तमिवात्मानं मत्वा पार्थो5 भ्यभाषत । कर्ण भ्रातृसमूहस्य मध्येडचलमिव स्थितम्‌,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! उस समय अर्जुनने अपने-आपको कर्णद्वारा तिरस्कृत-सा मानकर दुर्योधन आदि सौ भाइयोंके बीचमें अविचल-से खड़े हुए कर्णको सम्बोधित करके कहा

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tataḥ kṣiptam ivātmānaṃ matvā pārtho ’bhyabhāṣata | karṇa bhrātṛ-samūhasya madhye ’calam iva sthitam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Pārtha (Arjuna), feeling as though he had been slighted by Karṇa, addressed Karṇa—who stood firm and unmoving in the midst of the band of brothers (Duryodhana and the rest). The moment highlights how perceived insult and pride can sharpen speech and escalate rivalry within a courtly, dharma-sensitive setting.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

ततःthen/thereupon

क्षिप्तम्insulted/rejected (as if) cast away

इवas if/like

आत्मानम्himself

मत्वाhaving thought/considered

पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)

अभ्यभाषतaddressed/spoke to

कर्णम्Karna

भ्रातृसमूहस्यof the group of brothers

मध्येin the midst

अचलम्immovable/steadfast

इवlike/as if

स्थितम्standing/placed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Karṇa

Bhrātṛ-samūha (the Kaurava brothers, including Duryodhana)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how the feeling of being dishonored can provoke confrontation; ethical restraint in speech is crucial because pride and perceived insult can intensify enmity and shape future conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna, thinking Karṇa has slighted him, speaks to Karṇa, who stands resolute among the Kaurava brothers (notably Duryodhana’s circle).