Mahabharata 1.201.14 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 201, Shloka 14

Sundopasundayoḥ Tapas–Varadāna–Prasaṅgaḥ

Sunda and Upasunda: Austerities and the Boon

Devanagari script

यावच्च राजा पाज्चाल्यो नोद्यमे कुरुते मन: । सह पुन्रैर्महावीर्यैस्तावद्‌ विक्रम पार्थिव

Transliteration

yāvac ca rājā pāñcālyo nodyame kurute manaḥ | saha putrair mahāvīryais tāvad vikrama pārthiva, pṛthvīpate ||

Translation

Karna berkata: “Selagi raja Pāñcāla belum lagi menetapkan hati untuk mara terhadap kita bersama putera-putera baginda yang perkasa, maka wahai raja—tuan empunya bumi—perlihatkanlah kekuatan dan keberanianmu sekarang.”

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as / until
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्
• Form: correlative adverb (yāvat–tāvat)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: conjunction

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पाञ्चाल्यः: the king of Pañcāla (Pāñcālya)
• पाञ्चाल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: negation

• उद्यमे: in the undertaking / in the effort (to attack)
• उद्यमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्यम
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• कुरुते: makes / sets (his mind)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: present tense (laṭ), 3rd person, singular, Ātmanepada

• मनः: mind / intention
• मनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह
• Form: preposition-like indeclinable (with)

• पुत्रैः: with (his) sons
• पुत्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• महा-वीर्यैः: with great prowess
• महा-वीर्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा-वीर्य
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• तावत्: till then / so long
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत्
• Form: correlative adverb (yāvat–tāvat)

• विक्रम: valor / prowess
• विक्रम: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular (used as object of implied verb 'show/manifest')

• पार्थिव: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• पृथ्वीपते: O lord of the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथ्वीपति
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Panchala
• King of Panchala (Drupada)
• sons of Drupada

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights pragmatic royal counsel: act decisively while the opponent has not yet formed the intention to attack. It frames valor (vikrama) as timely initiative in statecraft, where delay can invite greater danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna urges a king to demonstrate strength immediately, before the Panchala ruler (Drupada) and his powerful sons decide to launch an अभियान (military expedition) against them.