Shloka 11

Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity

Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27

Devanagari script

योडवृणीत यश: शूर: प्राणैरपि सदा भुवि | कर्णस्य सत्यसंधस्य संग्रामेष्वपलायिन:

Transliteration

yoḍavṛṇīta yaśaḥ śūraḥ prāṇair api sadā bhuvi | karṇasya satyasaṃdhasya saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: He was a hero who always chose glory on earth even at the cost of his very life—of Karṇa, steadfast in truth and never one to flee in battles.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उदवृणीत: chose, selected
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+वृ (वृणोति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यशः: fame, glory
• यशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शूरः: the hero, the brave man
• शूरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राणैः: with (his) lives / by (his) life-breaths
• प्राणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• भुवि: on earth, in the world
• भुवि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (स्त्री. भुव्/भू)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• कर्णस्य: of Karna
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सत्यसन्धस्य: of the truth-keeping (one), true to his pledge
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• संग्रामेषु: in battles
• संग्रामेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• अपलायिन्: not fleeing, not running away
• अपलायिन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपलायिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Karṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse praises the warrior-ethic of steadfastness: choosing honorable renown and keeping one’s truth/pledge even at the risk of life, and not abandoning the battlefield out of fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the lament-filled context of the Strī Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recalls Karṇa’s character—his commitment to truth and his refusal to retreat in war—highlighting the stature of those who have fallen.