Shloka 56

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140

Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents

Devanagari script

जनार्दन! जबतक ये पर्वत और सरिताएँ रहेंगी, तबतक इस युद्धकी कीर्ति-कथा अक्षय बनी रहेगी ।।

Transliteration

janārdana! yāvat ime parvatāḥ saritaś ca sthāsyanti tāvat asya yuddhasya kīrti-kathā akṣayā bhaviṣyati. brāhmaṇāḥ kathayiṣyanti mahābhāratam āhavam samāgameṣu vārṣṇeya kṣatriyāṇāṃ yaśodhanam.

Translation

కర్ణుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ జనార్దన! ఈ పర్వతాలు, నదులు ఉన్నంతకాలం ఈ యుద్ధపు కీర్తికథ అక్షయంగా నిలుస్తుంది. ఓ వార్ష్ణేయ! సమాగమాలలో బ్రాహ్మణులు క్షత్రియుల యశోధనమై నిలిచే ఈ మహాభారత యుద్ధకథను వర్ణిస్తారు.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कथयिष्यन्ति: will narrate / will tell
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महाभारतम्: the Mahābhārata
• महाभारतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभारत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आहवम्: battle / war
• आहवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समागमेषु: in gatherings / assemblies
• समागमेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• वार्ष्णेय: O Vārṣṇeya (descendant of Vṛṣṇi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kṣatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• यशोधनम्: having fame as wealth / rich in glory
• यशोधनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशोधन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Janārdana (Krishna)
• Vārṣṇeya (Krishna)
• Brahmins
• Kshatriyas
• mountains
• rivers
• Mahābhārata war

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how deeds—especially those of public, moral consequence like war—become enduring through collective memory and learned recitation. It frames fame (yaśas) as a lasting ‘wealth’ for Kṣatriyas, preserved by Brahmin narrators in assemblies, suggesting that reputation and legacy outlive physical events.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana/Vārṣṇeya), predicting that the coming conflict will become an imperishable epic. He foresees Brahmins recounting the Mahābhārata battle in social gatherings, where the warriors’ renown will be remembered and evaluated.