Shloka 49

Devanagari script

पज्चालानां रथश्रेष्ठान्‌ द्रावयन्‌ शात्रवांस्तथा । कर्णस्तु समरे योधांस्त्रासयन्‌ सुमहायशा:

Transliteration

pañcālānāṁ rathaśreṣṭhān drāvayan śātravāṁs tathā | karṇas tu samare yodhāṁs trāsayan sumahāyaśāḥ ||

Translation

पाञ्चालानां रथश्रेष्ठान् द्रावयन् शात्रवांस्तथा । कर्णस्तु समरे योधांस्त्रासयन् सुमहायशाः ॥

Word by Word

• पाञ्चालानाम्: of the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रथश्रेष्ठान्: the best of chariot-warriors
• रथश्रेष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• द्रावयन्: driving away / putting to flight
• द्रावयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (द्रावयति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शात्रवान्: the enemies
• शात्रवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शात्रव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: thus / likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

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

• योधान्: warriors
• योधान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्रासयन्: terrifying
• त्रासयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रस् (त्रासयति)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहायशाः: of very great fame
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहायशस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Pañcālas
• ratha (chariot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield reality that prowess and reputation can generate fear and shift outcomes quickly; ethically, it invites reflection on how glory (yaśas) and force operate within war, while dharma remains the ultimate standard beyond mere victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa is overpowering the Pañcāla chariot-elite and other enemy warriors, driving them back and spreading terror among the fighters during the ongoing battle.