Shloka 2

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा तु निहतं भीष्म राधेय: पुरुषर्षभ: । ईषदागतसंत्रासस्त्वरयोपजगाम ह,भीष्मजीको रथसे गिराया गया सुनकर पुरुषप्रवर राधानन्दन कर्णके मनमें कुछ भय समा गया। वह बड़ी उतावलीके साथ उनके पास आया

Transliteration

śrutvā tu nihataṃ bhīṣmaṃ rādheyaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ | īṣad āgata-saṃtrāsas tvarayopajagāma ha ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing that Bhīṣma had been struck down, Rādheya (Karna)—the bull among men—was seized by a slight tremor of fear, and in great haste he went to Bhīṣma. The moment underscores how even the mightiest warriors are shaken when a pillar of their side falls, and how the course of war turns on the fate of its foremost upholders.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• निहतम्: slain
• निहतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु) / निहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• भीष्मम्: Bhishma
• भीष्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• राधेयः: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभः: bull among men, best of men
• पुरुषर्षभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ईषत्: slightly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ईषत्

• आगत-संत्रासः: one in whom fear had arisen
• आगत-संत्रासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + संत्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वरया: with haste
• त्वरया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• उपजगाम: approached/came near
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ह: indeed (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Rādheya (Karna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility beneath martial greatness: when a dharma-bearing elder and chief protector like Bhīṣma falls, even renowned heroes experience fear. Ethically, it points to how war tests inner steadiness (dhairya) and how attachment to power-centers can unsettle judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, on hearing Bhīṣma has been brought down, becomes slightly alarmed and quickly goes to Bhīṣma—suggesting urgency to assess the situation, respond strategically, and confront the sudden shift in the battle’s balance.