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Shloka 81

कालो हादृश्यो नृप विप्रकोपा- न्लिदर्शयन्‌ कर्णवधं ब्रुवाण: । भूमिस्तु चक्र ग्रसतीत्यवोचत्‌- कर्णस्य तस्मिन्‌ वधकाल आगते,नरेश्वरर उस समय काल अदृश्य रहकर ब्राह्मणके क्रोधसे कर्णके वधकी सूचना देता हुआ उसकी मृत्युका समय उपस्थित होनेपर इस प्रकार बोला--“अब भूमि तुम्हारे पहियेको निगलना ही चाहती है”

kālo hādṛśyo nṛpa viprakopān nidarśayan karṇavadhaṃ bruvāṇaḥ | bhūmistu cakraṃ grasatītyavocat karṇasya tasmin vadhakāla āgate ||

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఓ రాజా! అదృశ్యమైన కాలము బ్రాహ్మణకోపమున వల్ల నియతమైన కర్ణవధమును సూచించుచు, కర్ణుని వధకాలము సమీపించగానే ఇలా పలికెను—“ఇప్పుడు భూమి నీ రథచక్రమును మింగదలచింది.”

kālaḥTime, Fate
kālaḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootkāla
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
haindeed, surely
ha:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootha
adṛśyaḥinvisible
adṛśyaḥ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootadṛśya
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nṛpaO king
nṛpa:
TypeNoun
Rootnṛpa
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
vipra-kopātfrom the anger of a brahmin
vipra-kopāt:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootvipra-kopa
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
nidarśayanindicating, showing
nidarśayan:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootni√dṛś
FormŚatṛ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
karṇa-vadhamthe killing of Karṇa
karṇa-vadham:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootkarṇa-vadha
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
bruvāṇaḥsaying, speaking
bruvāṇaḥ:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√brū
FormŚānac (present middle participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
bhūmiḥthe earth
bhūmiḥ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootbhūmi
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
tubut, however
tu:
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu
cakramwheel
cakram:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootcakra
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
grasatiswallows, engulfs
grasati:
TypeVerb
Root√gras
FormPresent, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
itithus
iti:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti
avocatsaid, spoke
avocat:
TypeVerb
Root√vac
FormAorist, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
karṇasyaof Karṇa
karṇasya:
TypeNoun
Rootkarṇa
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
tasminin that (time/occasion)
tasmin:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Roottad
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
vadha-kāleat the time of killing
vadha-kāle:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootvadha-kāla
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
āgatewhen (it) had come, having arrived
āgate:
TypeVerb
Rootā√gam
FormKta (past passive participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
K
Karna
K
Kāla (Time/Fate)
B
Brāhmaṇa (vipra)
E
Earth (Bhūmi)
C
Chariot wheel (cakra)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames Karṇa’s end as the convergence of Time (kāla) and the moral force of a brāhmaṇa’s wrath/curse: actions and their consequences ripen inevitably, and even great warriors are subject to fate shaped by ethical causality.

Sañjaya narrates that at the very moment destined for Karṇa’s death, an unseen ‘Time’ announces the fatal sign: the earth will seize (swallow) Karṇa’s chariot wheel—an omen and practical impediment that leaves him vulnerable in battle.