Shloka 12

कर्णभीमयुद्धम्

Karna–Bhīma Combat Report

Devanagari script

नकुलं कुशल युद्धे पराक्रान्तं पराक्रमी । अभ्यगच्छत्‌ समायान्तं विकर्णस्ते सुत: प्रभो

Transliteration

nakulaṁ kuśalaṁ yuddhe parākrāntaṁ parākramī | abhyagacchat samāyāntaṁ vikarṇas te sutaḥ prabho ||

Translation

नकुलं कुशलं युद्धे पराक्रान्तं पराक्रमि । अभ्यगच्छत् समायान्तं विकर्णस्ते सुतः प्रभो ॥

Word by Word

• नकुलम्: Nakula (as object)
• नकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कुशलम्: skilled
• कुशलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पराक्रान्तम्: valiant, having advanced boldly
• पराक्रान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पराक्रमी: the mighty one
• पराक्रमी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रमिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यगच्छत्: approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

• समायान्तम्: coming towards (him)
• समायान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-या
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विकर्णः: Vikarna
• विकर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रभो: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula
• Vikarṇa
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address 'prabho' and 'te sutaḥ')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its starkest form: warriors, even when related, advance to meet each other in battle because duty and valor compel action. It also hints at the ethical tension of the Kurukṣetra war—courage is praised, yet it unfolds within a tragic conflict among kin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Vikarṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son, moves forward to confront Nakula, who is approaching and is renowned for skill and prowess in combat. It sets up an encounter between a Kaurava prince and a Pāṇḍava brother.