Shloka 5

Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

एवमेवात्मनो वीर्यमहं वीर्य च पाण्डवे | जानन्ेवाह्नये युद्धे शल्य गाण्डीवधारिणम्‌,शल्य! मैं अपना और पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनका बल-पराक्रम समझकर ही गाण्डीवधारी पार्थको युद्धके लिये बुलाता हूँ

Transliteration

evam evātmano vīryam ahaṃ vīryaṃ ca pāṇḍave | jānann evāhnaye yuddhe śalya gāṇḍīvadhāriṇam ||

Translation

శల్యా! నా వీర్యాన్ని, పాండుపుత్రుడైన అర్జునుని వీర్యాన్ని సరిగ్గా తెలుసుకొని, గాండీవధారియైన పార్థుని యుద్ధానికి నేను సవాలు చేస్తున్నాను.

Word by Word

एवम्thus, in this manner

एवindeed, just

आत्मनःof myself

वीर्यम्valor, strength

अहम्I

वीर्यम्valor, strength

चand

पाण्डवेin/with regard to the Pandava (Arjuna)

जानन्knowing

एवindeed, just

आह्वयेI challenge/call (to fight)

अह्नयेfor the day / for the appointed time (reading uncertain)

युद्धेin battle

शल्यO Shalya

गाण्डीव-धारिणम्the bearer of the Gandiva (bow)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

Śalya

Arjuna (Pārtha, Pāṇḍava)

Gāṇḍīva (bow)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a warrior-ethic of deliberate choice: Karna claims he challenges Arjuna not out of ignorance but with clear awareness of both opponents’ strength. Ethically, it frames combat as a conscious acceptance of risk and responsibility, while also revealing the tension between honor and pride.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Śalya (his charioteer) and asserts that he knowingly calls Arjuna—the famed bearer of the Gāṇḍīva—to battle. The line functions as Karna’s self-justification and declaration of resolve before the climactic confrontation.