Shloka 4

अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna

Devanagari script

किममन्यत दुर्थर्षे प्रविष्टे शत्रुतापने । दुर्योधनस्तु कि कृत्यं प्राप्तकालममन्यत,सिंधुराज जयद्रथ तथा वीर भूरिश्रवाके मारे जानेपर अपराजित वीर महातेजस्वी द्रोणाचार्य जब पांचालोंकी सेनामें घुसे, उस समय शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले उन दुर्धर्ष वीरके प्रवेश कर लेनेपर दुर्योधनने उस अवसरके अनुरूप किस कार्यको मान्यता प्रदान की

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kim amanyata durdharṣe praviṣṭe śatrutāpane | duryodhanas tu kiṁ kṛtyaṁ prāptakālam amanyata | sindhurājaḥ jayadrathaḥ tathā vīraḥ bhūriśravāḥ |

Translation

ಧೃತರಾಷ್ಟ್ರನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಶತ್ರುತಾಪನನಾದ ದುರ್ಧರ್ಷ ದ್ರೋಣನು ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿದಾಗ, ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನು ಆ ಸಮಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಕ್ಕ ಯಾವ ಕರ್ತವ್ಯವನ್ನು ಯುಕ್ತವೆಂದು ಭಾವಿಸಿದನು?

Word by Word

किम्what

अमन्यतthought/considered

दुर्धर्षेin/with regard to the unassailable one

प्रविष्टेhaving entered / when (he) had entered

शत्रुतापनेin/with regard to the tormentor of enemies

दुर्योधनःDuryodhana

तुbut/indeed

किम्what

कृत्यम्duty/what should be done; course of action

प्राप्तकालम्appropriate to the time; timely

अमन्यतthought/considered

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Duryodhana

Droṇācārya (Droṇa)

Pañcālas

Jayadratha

Sindhu (kingdom)

Bhūriśravas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prāptakāla—choosing action suited to the moment. In epic ethics, leadership is tested not only by valor but by timely judgment (kiṁ kṛtyam) amid rapidly changing battlefield conditions.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to describe what Duryodhana decided when Droṇa, described as formidable and enemy-tormenting, penetrated the Pañcāla ranks, and what allied warriors like Jayadratha and Bhūriśravas resolved to do at that juncture.