Shloka 1

कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation

Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठके २३ “लोक मिलाकर कुल ४०३ श्लोक हैं।) ऑपन-साज बछ। अफि्-"ऋाज चतु:षष्टितमो<5 ध्याय: अर्जुनद्वारा अश्वत्थामाकी पराजय

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | drauṇis tu rathavaṃśena mahatā parivāritaḥ | apatat sahasā rājan yatra pārtho vyavasthitaḥ ||

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಓ ರಾಜನೇ! ದ್ರೋಣಪುತ್ರ ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥಾಮನು ಮಹಾ ರಥಸಮೂಹದಿಂದ ಆವರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು, ಪಾರ್ಥನು (ಅರ್ಜುನನು) ಯುದ್ಧವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದ ಸ್ಥಳಕ್ಕೆ ಅಚಾನಕವಾಗಿ ಧಾವಿಸಿ ಬಿದ್ದನು.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रौणिः: Drona's son (Ashvatthama)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• रथवंशेन: by/with a line (mass) of chariots
• रथवंशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवंश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महता: great, huge
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• परिवारितः: surrounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + वृ (परिवारयति)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• अपतत्: fell upon / rushed down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सहसा: suddenly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यवस्थितः: was stationed/standing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (व्यवस्थित)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• King Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Droṇa
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• chariot-host (ratha-senā/rathavaṃśa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how sudden, force-backed aggression (sahasā apatat) initiates confrontations whose outcomes depend not only on strength but also on steadiness and right conduct; it foreshadows the ethical tension between impetuous wrath and disciplined kṣatriya responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāmā, supported by a large chariot contingent, abruptly charges toward the position where Arjuna is stationed, setting up a direct engagement.