Shloka 8

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca

Devanagari script

कर्ण कर्ण वृथादृष्टे सूतपुत्रात्मसंस्तुत । अधर्मबुद्धे शृणु मे यत्‌ त्वां वक्ष्यामि साम्प्रतम्‌,“कर्ण! कर्ण! तेरी दृष्टि मिथ्या है। सूतपुत्र! तू स्वयं ही अपनी प्रशंसा करता है। अधर्मबुद्धे! मैं इस समय तुझसे जो कुछ कहता हूँ, उसे सुन

Transliteration

karṇa karṇa vṛthādṛṣṭe sūtaputrātmasaṁstuta | adharmabuddhe śṛṇu me yat tvāṁ vakṣyāmi sāmpratam ||

Translation

कर्ण कर्ण वृथादृष्टे सूतपुत्रात्मसंस्तुत । अधर्मबुद्धे शृणु मे यत्त्वां वक्ष्यामि साम्प्रतम् ॥

Word by Word

कर्णO Karna

वृथा-दृष्टेO one whose view is vain/false

सूत-पुत्र-आत्म-संस्तुतO charioteer’s son, self-praising

अधर्म-बुद्धेO one of unrighteous mind

शृणुhear

मेof me / my

यत्what (that which)

त्वाम्you

वक्ष्यामिI will say

साम्प्रतम्now / at present

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

क

कर्ण (Karṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse condemns distorted judgment and self-glorification, framing them as signs of an adharma-oriented intellect. Ethically, it warns that pride and delusion corrupt discernment, especially in the moral crisis of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya introduces a sharp admonition directed at Karṇa, using emphatic vocatives and moral epithets (“misguided,” “self-praising,” “adharma-minded”) to demand attention before delivering a pointed message relevant to the unfolding conflict.