Shloka 22

Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)

Devanagari script

शिखण्डी तु समासाद्य हृदिकानां महारथम्‌

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍī tu samāsādya hṛdikānāṃ mahāratham

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Śikhaṇḍī, having closed in upon the great chariot-warrior Hṛdika, confronted him in the thick of battle—an episode that underscores how, in war, even renowned heroes are drawn into direct encounters shaped by strategy, alliances, and the relentless momentum of fate.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• समासाद्य: having approached/encountered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हृदिकानाम्: of the Hridikas
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदिक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śikhaṇḍī
• Hṛdika
• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of direct confrontation: reputation and rank (mahāratha) do not exempt one from being challenged, and battle unfolds through decisive approaches (samāsādya) driven by duty, strategy, and circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śikhaṇḍī advances toward and engages the great chariot-warrior associated with Hṛdika, signaling the start of a specific clash within the larger battlefield sequence of Karṇa Parva.