Shloka 40

Devanagari script

त्वद्गबच: सत्यमेवास्तु जहि पार्थान्‌ समागतान्‌ | सोमकांश्व महेष्वासान्‌ सत्यवाग्‌ भव भारत,“महाराज! भरतनन्दन! मैं केकयोंसहित सम्पूर्ण सोमकों, पांचालों और करूषोंको मार डालूँगा--आपकी यह बात सत्य हो। भारत! आप युद्धमें सामने आये हुए कुन्तीपुत्रों और महाधनुर्धर सोमकोंका वध कीजिये और ऐसा करके अपने वचनको सत्य कीजिये

Transliteration

tvadgava caḥ satyam evāstu jahi pārthān samāgatān | somakāṁś ca maheṣvāsān satyavāg bhava bhārata ||

Translation

Karna said: “Let your words indeed prove true. Strike down the assembled sons of Pṛthā. Slay also those Somakas, the great bowmen. O Bhārata, make your promise truthful by your deed.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'tvadgava caḥ', 'definition': 'your words/speech (addressing the listener’s prior statement or vow)'}, {'term': 'satyam eva astu', 'definition': 'let it be true indeed

• may it become reality'}, {'term': 'jahi', 'definition': 'slay

• strike down (imperative of √han)'}, {'term': 'pārthān', 'definition': 'the sons of Pṛthā (the Pāṇḍavas)'}, {'term': 'samāgatān', 'definition': 'assembled

• present for battle'}, {'term': 'somakān', 'definition': 'the Somakas (a collective designation often associated with the Pāñcāla-aligned forces)'}, {'term': 'maheṣvāsān', 'definition': 'great bowmen

• mighty archers'}, {'term': 'satyavāk', 'definition': 'truth-speaking

• one whose word is true (also: one who makes his word true by action)'}, {'term': 'bhārata', 'definition': 'O Bhārata

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Bhārata (addressee, a descendant of Bharata)
• Pārthas (sons of Pṛthā / Pāṇḍavas)
• Somakas
• Great bowmen (maheṣvāsas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses the warrior-ethic of making one’s spoken commitment real through action: truth (satya) is not only a moral claim but a vow that must be upheld, even amid the harsh demands of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna urges the addressed Bhārata warrior to attack and kill the assembled Pāṇḍavas and the Somaka archers, framing the act as the means to ‘make true’ a prior statement or promise.