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Shloka 12

अर्जुनकर्णयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्

Description of the Arjuna–Karṇa Engagement and Counsel to Duryodhana

उवाच नारायणमप्रमेयं कपिध्वज: सत्यपराक्रमस्य । श्रुत्वा वचो भ्रातुरदीनसत्त्व- स्तदाहवे सत्यवचो महात्मा | द्रष्ट कुरुश्रेष्ठमभिप्रयास्यन्‌ प्रोवाच वृष्णिप्रवरं तदानीम्‌,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! शत्रुओंकी मण्डलीमें अपने भाई भीमसेनका यह अत्यन्त दुष्कर वचन सुनकर कि “मैं अकेला ही असह्य संशप्तक सेनाका सामना करूँगा” उदार हृदयवाले महात्मा कपिध्वज अर्जुनने सत्यपराक्रमी भाई भीमके उस सत्य वचनको श्रवणगोचर करके उसे अप्रमेय, वृष्णिवंशावतंस नारायणावतार भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्णको बताया और उस समय कुरुश्रेष्ठ युधिष्ठिरका दर्शन करनेकी इच्छासे जानेको उद्यत हो इस प्रकार कहा--

sañjaya uvāca |

uvāca nārāyaṇam aprameyaṃ kapidhvajaḥ satyaparākramasya |

śrutvā vaco bhrātur adīnasattvas tad āhave satyavaco mahātmā |

draṣṭuṃ kuruśreṣṭham abhiprayāsyan provāca vṛṣṇipravaraṃ tadānīm ||

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: «ຂ້າແຕ່ພະຣາຊາ! ເມື່ອໄດ້ຍິນຖ້ອຍຄຳສັດຈິງອັນໝັ້ນຄົງ ແລະກ້າຫານບໍ່ຫວັ່ນໄຫວຂອງອ້າຍຊາຍໃນກາງສົງຄາມ ອາຣຈຸນຜູ້ມີທຸງລິງ ມະຫາວິລະບຸລຸດ ໄດ້ກ່າວຕໍ່ນາຣາຍະນະຜູ້ຫາຂອບເຂດບໍ່ໄດ້ ຜູ້ເລີດໃນວົງວຣິຊນິ (ພຣະກຣິດສະນະ) ໃນຂະນະນັ້ນ; ແລະດ້ວຍຈິດປາຖະນາຈະໄປເບິ່ງກຸຣຸຜູ້ເລີດ ຢຸທິສຖິຣ ລາວຈຶ່ງເວົ້າດັ່ງນີ້.»

उवाचsaid/spoke
उवाच:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवच्
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपद
नारायणम्Nārāyaṇa (Kṛṣṇa)
नारायणम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनारायण
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
अप्रमेयम्immeasurable, unfathomable
अप्रमेयम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअप्रमेय
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
कपिध्वजःhe whose banner bears Hanumān (Arjuna)
कपिध्वजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकपिध्वज
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
सत्यपराक्रमस्यof the truly-valiant one
सत्यपराक्रमस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसत्यपराक्रम
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
Karana
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive), parasmaipada (usage)
वचःspeech, words
वचः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवचस्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
भ्रातुःof (his) brother
भ्रातुः:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभ्रातृ
Formmasculine, genitive, singular
अदीनसत्त्वःof undepressed spirit, resolute
अदीनसत्त्वः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअदीनसत्त्व
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
तत्that (statement)
तत्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
आहवेin battle
आहवे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआहव
Formmasculine, locative, singular
सत्यवचःtruth-speaking, true to his word
सत्यवचः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसत्यवचस्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
महात्माgreat-souled one
महात्मा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहात्मन्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
द्रष्टुम्to see
द्रष्टुम्:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootदृश्
Formतुमुन् (infinitive)
कुरुश्रेष्ठम्the best of the Kurus (Yudhiṣṭhira)
कुरुश्रेष्ठम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुरुश्रेष्ठ
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
अभिप्रयास्यन्intending to go towards, setting out
अभिप्रयास्यन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-प्र-या
Formशतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular
प्रोवाचspoke, addressed
प्रोवाच:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-वच्
Formलिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), 3, singular, परस्मैपद
वृष्णिप्रवरम्the foremost of the Vṛṣṇis (Kṛṣṇa)
वृष्णिप्रवरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवृष्णिप्रवर
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
नीम्at that time (intended: तदानीम्)
नीम्:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनीम् (पाठभेद/अवग्रहदोषः)

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
A
Arjuna (Kapidhvaja)
K
Krishna (Narayana, Vrishnipravara)
B
Bhima (implied as the brother whose words are heard)
Y
Yudhishthira (Kuruśreṣṭha)
K
Kurūs
B
battlefield (āhava)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights ethical steadfastness in war: truthful speech and firm resolve (satyavacaḥ, adīnasattvaḥ) are treated as moral forces. Arjuna honors Bhima’s commitment and turns to Krishna (Narayana) for counsel, showing that righteous action in conflict is guided by truth, duty to kin, and reliance on wise/divine guidance.

Sanjaya narrates that Arjuna hears Bhima’s difficult, courageous declaration made in the thick of battle. Taking it seriously, Arjuna speaks to Krishna—addressed as the immeasurable Narayana—and prepares to go meet Yudhishthira (called Kuruśreṣṭha), indicating a moment of coordination and counsel among the Pandavas under Krishna’s guidance.