Shloka 25

भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय

Devanagari script

रथानन्ये नरश्रेष्ठं परिवद्रु: समनन्‍्ततः । भारत! कुछ लोग घोड़ोंपर और कुछ लोग हाथियोंपर चढ़े थे। दूसरे लोग रथोंपर आरूढ़ हो सब ओरसे नरश्रेष्ठ दुर्योधनको घेरे हुए थे ।। २४ $ ।। आत्तशस्त्राश्न सुहृदो रक्षणार्थ महीपते:

Transliteration

rathān anye naraśreṣṭhaṃ parivadruḥ samantataḥ | āttaśastrāś ca suhṛdo rakṣaṇārthaṃ mahīpateḥ ||

Translation

Karna said: “Others, O best of men, moved about in chariots all around. And the king’s well-wishers, weapons in hand, stood ready for his protection.” The scene underscores the wartime ethic of loyalty and protective duty toward one’s ruler, even amid the surrounding chaos of battle.

Word by Word

रथान्chariots

अन्येothers

नरश्रेष्ठम्the best of men (Duryodhana)

परिवद्रुःran around / surrounded by running around

समन्ततःon all sides

आत्तhaving taken up / wielding

शस्त्राःweapons

सुहृदःfriends / well-wishers

रक्षणार्थम्for the sake of protection

महीपतेO king / lord of the earth

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

mahīpati (the king, contextually Duryodhana)

ratha (chariot)

śastra (weapons)

suhṛd (well-wishers/supporters)

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 highlights rāja-dharma and kṣatriya conduct in war: loyal allies must remain vigilant and armed to protect their king. It frames protection of the ruler as a collective duty, emphasizing solidarity and readiness rather than individual glory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna describes a battlefield moment where chariot-warriors maneuver all around, while the king’s supporters stand armed to guard him. The imagery is of a protective ring forming around the ruler amid active movement and combat.