Shloka 34

कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line

Devanagari script

अधिष्ठानं मनश्लासीत्‌ परिरथ्या सरस्वती । नानावर्णा्ष चित्राश्न पताका: पवनेरिता:,इति श्रीमहाभारते कर्णपर्वणि त्रिपुरवधोपाख्याने चतुमस्त्रिंशो 5ध्याय:

Transliteration

adhiṣṭhānaṃ manaślāśīt parirathyā sarasvatī | nānāvārṇāś citrāś ca patākāḥ pavaneritāḥ ||

Translation

ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—“ರಾಜಾಸನ ಮತ್ತು ಅದರ ಸುತ್ತಮುತ್ತಲೂ ಅಪೂರ್ವವಾಗಿ ಶೋಭಿಸಿತು; ರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗಗಳು ಸರಸ್ವತೀ ದೇವಿಯೇ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಿದಂತೆ ಕಾಣಿಸಿದವು. ನಾನಾವರ್ಣದ ವಿಚಿತ್ರ ಧ್ವಜಗಳು ಗಾಳಿಯಿಂದ ಎತ್ತಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು ಹಾರಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದವು.”

Word by Word

अधिष्ठानम्base; seat; platform

मनःmind

अलासीत्shone; glittered

परिरथ्याroad around (the chariot/arena); circumambulatory path

सरस्वतीSarasvatī (river/goddess)

नाना-वर्णाःof many colors; multicolored

चित्राःvariegated; splendid

पताकाःbanners; flags

पवनेरिताःdriven by the wind

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Sarasvatī

patākāḥ (banners/flags)

pavana (wind)

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 how outward grandeur—banners, color, and ceremonial display—can project power and auspiciousness, yet it also implicitly contrasts external splendor with the inner ethical crisis of war, reminding readers that spectacle does not guarantee righteousness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana describes a visually impressive setting: the central seat/stand and the surrounding avenues appear refined and auspicious, with multicolored banners fluttering in the wind, creating a triumphant, courtly atmosphere amid the martial context.