Shloka 10

Devanagari script

आजलसश्नु: कुरवस्तत्र वादित्राणि समन्ततः । कर्ण प्रहर्षयिष्यन्त: शड्खान्‌ दध्मुश्न॒ सर्वश:

Transliteration

ājalasaśnuḥ kuravas tatra vāditrāṇi samantataḥ | karṇa praharṣayiṣyantaḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ sarvaśaḥ ||

Translation

ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಕೌರವರು ಎಲ್ಲೆಡೆ ವಾದ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ನಿನಾದಗೊಳಿಸಿದರು; ಕರ್ಣನ ಹರ್ಷವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸಿ ಅವನ ಉತ್ಸಾಹವನ್ನು ಎಬ್ಬಿಸಲು ಸರ್ವ ದಿಕ್ಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶಂಖಗಳನ್ನು ಊದಿದರು.

Word by Word

आजलसश्नुःhaving reached the water / having come to the water (i.e., arrived at the waterside)

कुरवःthe Kurus

तत्रthere

वादित्राणिmusical instruments

समन्ततःon all sides

कर्णO Karna

प्रहर्षयिष्यन्तःintending to gladden / about to exhilarate

शङ्खान्conches

दध्मुःthey blew

सर्वशःin every way / everywhere

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kauravas (Kuravas)

Karna

conches (śaṅkha)

musical instruments (vāditra)

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 collective ritual—music, conches, and public display—can be used to fortify morale and loyalty in a leader (here, Karṇa). Ethically, it points to the power of social reinforcement: it can inspire courage, but it can also propel groups toward destructive action when aligned with adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava forces, surrounding the area, sound instruments and blow conches in all directions to celebrate and encourage Karṇa, signaling readiness and stirring the army’s fighting spirit.