Shloka 2

Draupadī’s Identification of the Pāṇḍavas and the Onset of the Chariot Engagement (द्रौपदी-पाण्डव-परिचयः)

Devanagari script

कर्णो वैकर्तनश्वैव शकुनिश्च महाबल: । भीष्मद्रोणकृपाश्चैव तन्मे शंसितुमरहसि,सूर्यपुत्र कर्ण, महाबली शकुनि, भीष्म, द्रोण तथा कृपाचार्य--इन सबने कौन-सा कार्य किया? यह मुझे बतानेकी कृपा करें

Transliteration

Janamejaya uvāca: Karṇo vaikartanaś caiva Śakuniś ca mahābalaḥ | Bhīṣma-droṇa-kṛpāś caiva tan me śaṃsitum arhasi ||

Translation

Janamejaya berkata: “Ceritakan kepadaku, aku memohon—apakah perbuatan yang telah dilakukan oleh Karṇa, putera Surya (Vaikartana), oleh Śakuni yang maha perkasa, dan juga oleh Bhīṣma, Droṇa serta Kṛpa?”

Word by Word

कर्णःKarna

वैकर्तनःVaikartana (son of Vikartana; epithet of Karna)

चand

एवindeed/also

शकुनिःShakuni

चand

महाबलःmighty/very strong

भीष्मBhishma

द्रोणDrona

कृपाःKripa (here as a name; form appears plural by ending)

चand

एवindeed/also

तत्that (matter/thing)

मेto me/for me

शंसितुम्to tell/declare

अर्हसिyou are able/you ought

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Janamejaya

Karna (Vaikartana)

Shakuni

Bhishma

Drona

Kripa

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 models dhārmic inquiry: before judging outcomes, one should seek a clear account of agents and actions. Ethical evaluation in the Mahābhārata depends on understanding who did what, under what obligations, and with what intentions.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janamejaya asks the narrator to recount the actions and roles of key Kaurava-side figures—Karna, Shakuni, Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa—inviting a detailed explanation of their conduct and contributions within the broader events being narrated.