Shloka 5

अर्जुनकर्णसंनिपातवर्णनम् / The Convergence of Arjuna and Karṇa

Devanagari script

परशुरामजीसे अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका ज्ञान प्राप्त करके वह महान्‌ शक्तिशाली और अत्यन्त दुर्जय हो गया था। समस्त संसारका सर्वश्रेष्ठ रथी एवं विश्वविख्यात वीर था ।। त्रातारं धार्तराष्ट्राणां गन्तारं वाहिनीमुखे । हन्तारं परसैन्यानाममित्रगणमर्दनम्‌,धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंका रक्षक, सेनाके मुहानेपर जाकर युद्ध करनेवाला, शत्रुसैनिकोंका संहार करनेमें समर्थ तथा विरोधियोंका मान मर्दन करनेवाला था

Transliteration

trātāraṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ gantāraṃ vāhinīmukhe | hantāraṃ parasainyānām amitragāṇamardanam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Dialah pelindung putera-putera Dhṛtarāṣṭra, yang mara hingga ke barisan hadapan bala tentera, pembunuh angkatan lawan, dan penghancur saf-saf musuh.”

Word by Word

त्रातारम्protector (as object of praise/description)

धार्तराष्ट्राणाम्of the Dhārtarāṣṭras (sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

गन्तारम्goer; one who goes

वाहिनीमुखेat the front/mouth of the army

हन्तारम्slayer

परसैन्यानाम्of enemy armies/troops

अमित्रगणमर्दनम्crusher of groups of foes

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas)

army (vāhinī)

enemy troops (para-sainyāni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of guardianship and frontline responsibility: true martial excellence is framed not merely as violence, but as protection of one’s side and decisive leadership in the most dangerous place—the army’s front.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes a formidable warrior aligned with the Kauravas—one who shields Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, advances to the battlefront, and devastates enemy formations—emphasizing his role as both defender and destroyer in the war.