Shloka 38

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140

Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents

Devanagari script

गोविन्द! जनार्दन! विचित्र ध्वजदण्डोंसे सुशोभित निर्मल रथपंक्तियाँ ही इस रणयज्ञमें यूपोंका काम करेंगी ।। कर्णिनालीकनाराचा वत्सदन्तोपबृंहणा: । तोमरा: सोमकलशा: पवित्राणि धनूंषि च,कर्णि, नालीक, नाराच और वत्सदन्त आदि बाण उपबृंहण (सोमाहुतिके साधनभूत चमस आदि पात्र) होंगे। तोमर सोमकलशका और धनुष पवित्रीका काम करेंगे

Transliteration

govinda! janārdana! vicitra-dhvajadaṇḍaiḥ suśobhitā nirmala-ratha-paṅktaya eva asmin raṇa-yajñe yūpānāṃ kāryaṃ kariṣyanti. karṇi-nālika-nārācā vatsadantopabṛṃhaṇāḥ; tomarāḥ soma-kalaśāḥ; pavitrāṇi dhanūṃṣi ca.

Translation

കർണ്ണൻ പറഞ്ഞു—“ഗോവിന്ദാ, ജനാർദനാ! വിചിത്രധ്വജദണ്ഡങ്ങളാൽ ശോഭിക്കുന്ന നിർമ്മല രഥനിരകളാണ് ഈ രണയജ്ഞത്തിൽ യൂപങ്ങളാകുന്നത്. കർണി, നാളിക, നാരാച, വത്സദന്ത മുതലായ അമ്പുകൾ ഉപബൃംഹണങ്ങൾ (സഹായപാത്രങ്ങൾ) ആകും; തോമരങ്ങൾ സോമകലശങ്ങളാകും; ധനുസ്സുകൾ പവിത്രം (ശുദ്ധീകരണ ചാലനി) ആകും.”

Word by Word

• {'govinda': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'janārdana': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'vicitra': 'variegated, wondrous, splendid', 'dhvaja-daṇḍa': 'flagstaff, banner-pole (on a chariot)', 'suśobhitāḥ': 'beautifully adorned, resplendent', 'nirmala': 'pure, spotless, bright', 'ratha-paṅkti': 'row/line of chariots', 'raṇa-yajña': '‘sacrifice of battle’

• war conceived as a yajña', 'yūpa': 'sacrificial post (to which the victim is tied in Vedic ritual)', 'karṇi': 'a type of arrow (name of a particular shaft/head)', 'nālika': 'a type of arrow (reed-like/with tubular shaft

• technical term for a missile)', 'nārāca': 'iron-pointed arrow

• a well-known arrow type', 'vatsadanta': '‘calf-tooth’

• a type of arrow (named by shape/point)', 'upabṛṃhaṇa': 'auxiliary/strengthening rite or implement

• here: subsidiary offering implements (e.g., ladles/cups used in Soma ritual)', 'tomara': 'spear, javelin', 'soma-kalaśa': 'Soma-vessel/pitcher used in Soma sacrifice', 'pavitra': 'purifier/strainer (esp. for Soma)

• also ‘purifying instrument’', 'dhanus': 'bow'}

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Govinda (Krishna)
• Janardana (Krishna)
• chariot rows (ratha-paṅkti)
• flagstaffs (dhvaja-daṇḍa)
• sacrificial post (yūpa)
• arrows: karṇi, nālika, nārāca, vatsadanta
• tomara (spears/javelins)
• Soma-vessel (soma-kalaśa)
• bow (dhanus)
• purifying strainer (pavitra)
• battle-sacrifice (raṇa-yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a kṣatriya-style ethical rationalization: war is framed as a solemn yajña where weapons and military formations become ritual implements. This sacralization does not remove violence, but it seeks to place it under a code of duty and gravity, implying that actions in war should be performed with disciplined intent rather than mere cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Krishna (Govinda/Janardana) and uses extended sacrificial metaphors to describe the impending battle. He declares that chariot lines will function like yūpa-posts, arrows like auxiliary offering tools, spears like Soma vessels, and bows like purifying strainers—depicting the battlefield as a ritual arena.