Mahabharata 7.154.231 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 154, Shloka 231

घटोत्कच-कर्णयुद्धम्

Ghaṭotkaca–Karna Combat and the Release of Śakti

Devanagari script

तेनैवमभ्यतिक्रान्त: श्वेताश्वः कृष्णसारथि: । तस्य दोषं न पश्यामि द्रोणस्थानेन हेतुना

Transliteration

tenaivam abhyatikrāntaḥ śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ | tasya doṣaṃ na paśyāmi droṇasthānena hetunā ||

Translation

ఇలా శ్వేతాశ్వయోధుడు—కృష్ణుడు సారథిగా ఉన్నవాడు—ఎంతగా అధిగమింపబడి, చాతుర్యంతో మట్టుపెట్టబడినప్పటికీ, అతనిలో నేను దోషం చూడను; కారణం ద్రోణుని స్థానం, వ్యూహస్థితి కలిగించిన ఆధిక్యం.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that/therefore
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• अभ्यतिक्रान्तः: having overstepped/violated
• अभ्यतिक्रान्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अति + क्रम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• श्वेताश्वः: the one with white horses (Arjuna)
• श्वेताश्वः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृष्णसारथिः: he whose charioteer is Kṛṣṇa (Arjuna)
• कृष्णसारथिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णसारथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दोषम्: fault, blame
• दोषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पश्यामि: I see
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: Present, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रोणस्थानेन: by/for the reason of (being in) Droṇa's position/command
• द्रोणस्थानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणस्थान
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हेतुना: as a cause, because
• हेतुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Arjuna (Śvetāśva)
• Krishna (charioteer)
• Drona

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Karna frames defeat or setback not as a moral or personal failing of a worthy opponent, but as a consequence of situational factors—here, Droṇa’s strategic placement. Ethically, it models fairness in judgment: do not hastily assign blame when circumstances and tactical constraints explain the outcome.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva’s battle context, Karna comments on the famed warrior with white horses (Arjuna), driven by Krishna. Although Arjuna has been checked or outmaneuvered, Karna says he sees no fault in Arjuna; the decisive factor is Droṇa’s position within the battle arrangement.