Shloka 2

Karṇa-nidhana-śravaṇa, Kṣaya-Varṇana, and Śeṣa-sainika-nirdeśa

Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall, Accounting of Losses, and Naming of Remaining Warriors

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ निपतिते भूमौ विह्नलले राजसत्तमे

Transliteration

tasmin nipatite bhūmau vihvalale rājasattame

Translation

彼が地に倒れ伏したとき、王のうち最も勝れた御方よ、彼はそこで打ちひしがれ、茫然として横たわっていた——戦の混沌とダルマの重みのただ中で、武人の驕りがいかに速やかに打ち砕かれるかを示す姿である。

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (one/that situation)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• निपतिते: having fallen
• निपतिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु) → निपतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विह्नलले: when (he was) bewildered/overwhelmed
• विह्नलले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• राजसत्तमे: in/when the best of kings (was ...)
• राजसत्तमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• रājasattama (best of kings—address to Janamejaya)
• भूमि (earth/ground)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of human strength and status in the face of violent conflict: even the mighty can be reduced to helplessness in an instant, inviting reflection on restraint, responsibility, and the ethical gravity of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a figure who has fallen to the ground and lies there in a stunned, distressed state, while addressing the listener as 'best of kings'—a typical epic narration frame directed to King Janamejaya.