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Shloka 4

कर्णभीमसमागमः | Karṇa–Bhīma Encounter

यथा देवैर्महाराज ईश्वरादघिको वृत: । तथा भवानपि क्षिप्रं रुद्रस्येव पितामह:

yathā devair mahārāja īśvarād adhiko vṛtaḥ | tathā bhavān api kṣipraṁ rudrasyeva pitāmahaḥ ||

ദുര്യോധനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—മഹാരാജാ! ദേവന്മാർ ഈശ്വരൻ (ശിവൻ)നേക്കാൾ പോലും ശക്തനായവനെ വരണ ചെയ്തതുപോലെ, നിങ്ങൾക്കും വൈകാതെ—രുദ്രനോട് പിതാമഹൻ (ഭീഷ്മൻ) ഉണ്ടായതുപോലെ—ഒരു സേനാധിപനെ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുക.

यथाjust as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
देवैःby the gods
देवैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदेव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
ईश्वरात्than the Lord (Īśvara)
ईश्वरात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootईश्वर
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
अधिकःgreater, superior
अधिकः:
TypeAdjective
Rootअधिक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृतःchosen, selected
वृतः:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत
Formवृ (वृणोति/वृणुते) / वृत (PPP), Past (PPP used predicatively), Singular, Masculine, Nominative
तथाso, in the same way
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
भवान्you
भवान्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अपिalso, even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
क्षिप्रम्quickly, soon
क्षिप्रम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्षिप्र
रुद्रस्यof Rudra
रुद्रस्य:
TypeNoun
Rootरुद्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
पितामहःthe Grandsire (Brahmā)
पितामहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

दुर्योधन उवाच

दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)
महārāja (addressed king, contextually Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
देवाः (the gods)
ईश्वर (Īśvara/Śiva)
रुद्र (Rudra/Śiva)
पितामह (Pitāmaha—Bhīṣma)

Educational Q&A

The verse emphasizes the urgency and necessity of appointing capable leadership in crisis, legitimizing decisive command by invoking divine precedent and revered exemplars (the gods’ choice; Bhīṣma as ‘Pitāmaha’).

Duryodhana addresses the king and presses for swift selection/appointment of a supreme commander, comparing the desired choice to how the gods chose a superior leader and to Bhīṣma’s eminent status (‘Grandsire’) in relation to Rudra.