Shloka 39

Devanagari script

३७-३८ ।। तथेति च प्रतिज्ञातं कर्णेन शिनिपुड्भव । ह्ृदि नित्यं च कर्णस्य वधो गाण्डीवधन्वचन:

Transliteration

37–38. tatha iti ca pratijñātaṁ karṇena śinipuḍbhava | hṛdi nityaṁ ca karṇasya vadho gāṇḍīvadhanvavacanaḥ ||

Translation

“ତଥାସ୍ତୁ”—ହେ ଶିନିବଂଶ-ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ଏମିତି କହି କର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞା କଲା। କିନ୍ତୁ କର୍ଣ୍ଣର ହୃଦୟରେ ଗାଣ୍ଡୀବଧାରୀଙ୍କ ବଧଚିନ୍ତା ନିରନ୍ତର ରହିଲା; ଅର୍ଜୁନବଧର ସଙ୍କଳ୍ପ ତାହାର ଅନ୍ତରେ ଅଚଳ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

तथाthus, so

इतिthus (quotative)

चand

प्रतिज्ञातम्promised, vowed

कर्णेनby Karna

शिनिपुड्भवO descendant of Śini (O Sātyaki)

हृदिin (his) heart

नित्यम्always, constantly

चand

कर्णस्यof Karna

वधःkilling, death (slaying)

गाण्डीवधन्वचनःthe word/utterance of the Gāṇḍīva-bow wielder (Arjuna)

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyudeva

Karṇa

Śini (lineage reference)

Gāṇḍīva

Arjuna (implied as the Gāṇḍīva-bearer)

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?

A spoken promise may be brief, but the deeper ethical force lies in the intention held in the heart. The verse highlights how inner resolve—especially when driven by rivalry—can dominate judgment in war, raising questions about whether personal vendetta aligns with dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karṇa gives his assent (“so be it”) and makes a pledge; nevertheless, he continually keeps in his heart the determination to slay the Gāṇḍīva-wielding archer—Arjuna—showing his persistent fixation on that single objective.