Shloka 21

Devanagari script

उसने शिरीषपुष्प एवं सुवर्णके समान पीतवर्णका बहुमूल्य सुगन्धित चन्दन लगा रखा था

Transliteration

sa śirīṣapuṣpasuvarṇakasamaṃ pītavarṇaṃ bahumūlyaṃ sugandhi candanaṃ liptaḥ

Translation

Karna disse que ele estava ungido com pasta de sândalo perfumada—cara, de tom amarelo-dourado como o ouro e delicada como a flor de śirīṣa—sinal de esplendor refinado.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिरीषपुष्पसुवर्णकसमपीतवर्णकम्: yellow-colored like śirīṣa-flowers and gold
• शिरीषपुष्पसुवर्णकसमपीतवर्णकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीतवर्णक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बहुमूल्यम्: very valuable
• बहुमूल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुमूल्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुगन्धि: fragrant
• सुगन्धि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्धि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लिप्तवान्: had applied / was smeared with
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• śirīṣa flower
• gold (suvarṇa)
• sandalwood paste (candana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights how external signs of refinement—perfume, costly adornment, and golden radiance—can accompany a life entangled in conflict; it invites reflection on the difference between outward prestige and inner dharma, especially in a war setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Karna’s speech, a person is described as being anointed with expensive, fragrant sandalwood paste, golden-yellow like the śirīṣa blossom—an image used to convey noble appearance and elevated status amid the unfolding martial narrative.