Shloka 226

Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनो महाराज राधेयमिदमब्रवीत्‌ । महाराज! जब इस प्रकार अत्यन्त भयंकर संग्राम हो रहा था, उस समय दुर्योधनने राधापुत्र कर्णसे यों कहा--

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | duryodhano mahārāja rādhayam idam abravīt | mahārāja! yadi evaṃvidhaḥ atyanta-bhayaṅkaraḥ saṅgrāmo bhavati, tadā duryodhanena rādhāputraṃ karṇaṃ prati evaṃ uktam — |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, Duryodhana spoke these words to Rādhā’s son (Karna). O great king, while such an exceedingly dreadful battle was raging, Duryodhana addressed Karna in this manner.”

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• राधेयम्: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this (speech/these words)
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Karna (Rādheya, son of Rādhā)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'Mahārāja')
• Saṅgrāma (the battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a pivotal wartime counsel: in moments of extreme violence and uncertainty, leaders seek decisive support from trusted allies. Ethically, it highlights how choices made amid fearsome conflict can steer one toward or away from dharma, depending on intent and means.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield events to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, introduces Duryodhana’s direct address to Karna during a terrifying phase of the battle, setting up the content of Duryodhana’s ensuing speech.