Shloka 46

Devanagari script

मा कर्ण राक्षसो घोर: प्रमादान्नाशयिष्यति । “मानद! तुम सेनाके साथ सावधान होकर रणभूमिमें कर्णकी रक्षा करो। कहीं ऐसा न हो कि हमलोगोंके प्रमादवश वह भयंकर राक्षस कर्णका विनाश कर डाले”

Transliteration

mā karṇa rākṣaso ghoraḥ pramādān nāśayiṣyati |

Translation

मा कर्ण राक्षसो घोरः प्रमादान्नाशयिष्यति । तस्मात्सैन्येन सावधानो रणभूमौ कर्णं रक्ष ॥

Word by Word

• मा: do not / lest
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा
• Form: prohibitive particle (used with injunctive/optative/future sense)

• कर्णम्: Karna (as object)
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• राक्षसः: the demon
• राक्षसः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• घोरः: terrible, dreadful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular (agreeing with राक्षसः)

• प्रमादात्: from negligence / due to carelessness
• प्रमादात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• नाशयिष्यति: will destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (नाशयति, causative of नश्)
• Form: future, parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• rākṣasa (unnamed adversary)
• army (senā)
• battlefield (raṇabhūmi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, outcomes are not attributed only to enemy strength; negligence (pramāda) is portrayed as a decisive moral and practical failing. The verse urges alertness and collective responsibility to prevent avoidable catastrophe.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya warns that a fearsome rākṣasa-like opponent may kill Karṇa if the Kaurava side becomes careless. He calls for coordinated vigilance with the army to safeguard Karṇa on the battlefield.