Shloka 18

Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)

Devanagari script

कथं वैकर्तन: कर्णस्तत्रायुध्यत संजय । कथं च पाण्डवा: सर्वे युयुधुस्तत्र सूतजम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

kathaṃ vaikartanaḥ karṇas tatrāyudhyata sañjaya |

kathaṃ ca pāṇḍavāḥ sarve yuyudhus tatra sūtajam, sañjaya ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: «Dize-me, ó Sañjaya: como lutou ali Karṇa Vaikartana? E como combateram ali todos os Pāṇḍavas contra Karṇa, o filho do cocheiro?»

Word by Word

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्
• Form: Avyaya

• वैकर्तनः: Vaikartana (Karna)
• वैकर्तनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकर्तन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya

• अयुध्यत: fought
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कथम्: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्
• Form: Avyaya

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युयुधुः: fought
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र
• Form: Avyaya

• सूतजम्: the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa (Vaikartana, Sūtaja)
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds how identity and social labels (Vaikartana, Sūtaja) frame perceptions in war, while the narrative focus remains on conduct and prowess in battle—inviting reflection on honor and judgment beyond birth-based epithets.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya introduces a report of renewed fighting: he is asked to describe how Karṇa fought on the battlefield and how the Pāṇḍavas collectively engaged him when the battle resumed.