Shloka 63

Devanagari script

रथयूथपयो: पक्षौ कुरुपाण्डववीरयो: । दृष्टवा प्रजापतिं देवा: स्वयम्भुवमचोदयन्‌,रथयूथपति कर्ण और अर्जुन कौरव तथा पाण्डव दलके प्रमुख वीर थे। उनके विषयमें दो पक्ष देखकर देवताओं ने प्रजापति स्वयम्भू ब्रह्माजीसे पूछा--

Transliteration

rathayūthapayoḥ pakṣau kurupāṇḍavavīrayoḥ | dṛṣṭvā prajāpatiṃ devāḥ svayambhuvam acodayan |

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ರಥಯೂಥಪತಿಗಳಾದ ಕರ್ಣ ಮತ್ತು ಅರ್ಜುನರು ಕುರು-ಪಾಂಡವ ವೀರರ ಎರಡು ವಿರುದ್ಧ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳಾಗಿ ನಿಂತರು. ಆ ಎರಡು ಪಕ್ಷಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡ ದೇವರು ಪ್ರಜಾಪತಿ ಸ್ವಯಂಭು (ಬ್ರಹ್ಮ)ನನ್ನು ಮಾತನಾಡಲು ಪ್ರೇರೇಪಿಸಿದರು.

Word by Word

रथयूथपयोःof the two leaders of the chariot-troops

पक्षौtwo sides/parties

कुरुपाण्डववीरयोःof the two heroes (Kuru and Pandava)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

प्रजापतिम्Prajapati (the Lord of creatures)

देवाःthe gods

स्वयम्भुवम्Svayambhu (the self-born, Brahma)

अचोदयन्they urged/impelled (questioned/pressed)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

Arjuna

Kuru (Kaurava side)

Pāṇḍava (Pāṇḍava side)

Devāḥ (the gods)

Prajāpati Svayambhū (Brahmā)

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 frames the Karṇa–Arjuna confrontation not merely as personal rivalry but as a dharmic and cosmic problem: when two mighty champions embody opposing claims and loyalties, even the gods seek guidance from the creator (Prajāpati) to understand how order (dharma) will be upheld amid destructive war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa and Arjuna as the principal chariot-leaders representing the two armies’ opposing ‘wings.’ Observing this decisive opposition, the gods approach Brahmā (Svayambhū Prajāpati) and prompt him—introducing a divine consultation that comments on the significance of the impending clash.