Shloka 5

कर्णस्य मन्त्रः — Duryodhana-प्रति नीति-विचारः

Karna’s Counsel on Strategy toward the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

अपि न: संशयस्यान्ते मन: संतुष्टिमावहेत्‌ । अपि नो भागधेयानि शुभानि स्यु: परंतप,परंतप! आपसे रहस्यकी बात सुनकर क्या हमारे इस संशयका नाश और मनको संतोष होगा और क्या हमारा भाग्य उदय होगा?

Transliteration

api naḥ saṁśayasyānte manaḥ saṁtuṣṭim āvahet | api no bhāgadhyeyāni śubhāni syuḥ parantapa parantapa ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “When we hear this secret teaching, will it finally bring our doubt to an end and grant peace to our minds? And, O scorcher of foes, will auspicious fortune and our rightful share truly arise for us?”

Word by Word

• अपि: perhaps; also; indeed (interrogative nuance: 'will it?')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• संशयस्य: of (the) doubt
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संतुष्टिम्: contentment; satisfaction
• संतुष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतुष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आवहेत्: may bring; would bring
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वह्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अपि: perhaps; also; (again, interrogative nuance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Plural

• भागधेयानि: fortunes; allotted shares; destinies
• भागधेयानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागधेय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• शुभानि: auspicious; favorable
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• स्युः: may be; would be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes (epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• परंतप: O scorcher of foes (repeated address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic expectation from true instruction: genuine ‘rahasya’ (confidential wisdom) should dissolve uncertainty (saṁśaya), steady the mind in contentment (saṁtuṣṭi), and orient one toward auspicious outcomes—understood as rightful, ethically aligned fortune rather than mere gain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana voices a hopeful question on behalf of listeners: after hearing a confidential explanation, they ask whether their lingering doubts will be resolved and whether favorable destiny—one’s proper share and well-being—will manifest, addressing a heroic figure with the epithet ‘Parantapa’.