Shloka 4

कर्णस्य एकाकि-प्रहारः तथा पाण्डव-महारथ-परिवेष्टनम् | Karṇa’s concentrated assault and the Pāṇḍava encirclement

Devanagari script

हत्वा च पाण्डवान्‌ युद्धे स्फीतामुर्वीमवाप्स्यथ । निहता वा परैर्युद्धे वीरलोकमवाप्स्यथ

Transliteration

hatvā ca pāṇḍavān yuddhe sphītām urvīm avāpsyatha | nihatā vā parair yuddhe vīralokam avāpsyatha ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Jika kamu membunuh para Pāṇḍava dalam peperangan, kamu akan memperoleh kedaulatan bumi yang makmur; atau jika kamu terbunuh oleh musuh dalam pertempuran, kamu akan mencapai alam para wira.”

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having slain
• हत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, द्वितीया

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पाण्डवान्: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्फीताम्: prosperous, abundant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्फीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• उर्वीम्: earth; land
• उर्वीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् + आप् (धातु) / अवाप् (धातु-समास)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, Second, Plural

• निहताः: slain (being killed)
• निहताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• परैः: by others; by enemies
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• वीरलोकम्: the world/realm of heroes
• वीरलोकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवाप्स्यथ: you will obtain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव् + आप् (धातु) / अवाप् (धातु-समास)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, Second, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• urvī (the earth/kingdom)
• vīraloka (realm of heroes)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames battle in a kṣatriya ethical register: either victory brings legitimate worldly sovereignty, or death in combat brings honor and a heroic afterlife (vīraloka). This ‘either way’ framing is meant to steady courage and remove hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a rallying assurance given to the warriors: if they kill the Pāṇḍavas they will gain a prosperous kingdom; if they fall to the enemy, they will attain the realm of heroes. It functions as motivational counsel before or amid the fighting.