Shloka 22

Devanagari script

यथाद्य समरे कर्ण हनिष्यामि हतो5पि वा । महीतले पतिष्यामि सत्येनायुधमालभे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | yathādya samare karṇa haniṣyāmi hato 'pi vā | mahītale patiṣyāmi satyenāyudham ālabhe ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: “(Arjuna declarou:) ‘Ainda que eu mesmo seja morto, assim será: hoje, na batalha, matarei Karṇa; ou então, abatido, cairei sobre a terra. Pela verdade tomo minha arma (tocando meu arco como voto solene).’”

Word by Word

• यथा: as, in such a way that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कर्ण: O Karna
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• हनिष्यामि: I will kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हतः: killed, slain
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• महीतले: on the ground, on the earth-surface
• महीतले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पतिष्यामि: I will fall
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सत्येन: by truth, with truth
• सत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आयुधम्: weapon
• आयुधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आलभे: I touch, I take hold of
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लभ्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), First, Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• earth (mahī/mahītala)
• weapon/bow (āyudha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights satya (truth) as a binding moral force: a warrior’s pledge, sealed by invoking truth and touching the weapon, must be upheld even at the cost of one’s life. It frames martial action within ethical accountability—resolve is not mere anger, but a vowed commitment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports Arjuna’s solemn declaration on the battlefield: on that very day he will either slay Karṇa or be slain and fall to the earth. The statement is cast as an oath, ritually reinforced by invoking truth and grasping/touching his weapon (bow).