Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.175.47 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

पश्य कर्णेन हैडिम्बे पाण्डवानामनीकिनी । काल्यमाना यथा गाव: पालेन रणमूर्थनि

Transliteration

paśya karṇena haiḍimbe pāṇḍavānām anīkinī | kālyamānā yathā gāvaḥ pālena raṇamūrdhani || hiḍimbānandana |

Translation

โอ้ไหฑิมบี จงดูเถิด—ดุจคนเลี้ยงโคต้อนฝูงโคฉันใด กรรณะยืนอยู่ ณ ปากศึกก็ฉันนั้น กำลังต้อนและขับไล่กองทัพใหญ่ของปาณฑพให้ถอยร่น

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Word by Word

• पश्य: see, behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (दृश्-अर्थे)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपद

• कर्णेन: by Karna
• कर्णेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• हैडिम्बे: O Haidimbā
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैडिम्बा
• Form: feminine, vocative, singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• अनीकिनी: army, host
• अनीकिनी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीकिनी
• Form: feminine, nominative, singular

• काल्यमाना: being driven/urged on
• Type: Verb
• Root: काल्य (√कल्/√काल्; to drive/urge) + शानच्
• Form: passive (present participle), feminine, nominative, singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो
• Form: feminine, nominative, plural

• पालेन: by a herdsman
• पालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• रणमूर्धनि: at the forefront/head of battle
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण-मूर्धन्
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• हिडिम्बानन्दन: O son of Hiḍimbā
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिडिम्बा-नन्दन
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu (Vāyudeva)
• Karṇa
• Haiḍimbī (Hiḍimbā/Hiḍimbī)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Ghaṭotkaca (Hiḍimbānandana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, concentrated strength and resolve can dominate sheer numbers, turning an army into something driven by fear rather than choice. Ethically, it invites reflection on the dehumanizing momentum of battle—where people are pushed like cattle—and the responsibility of leaders and warriors for the consequences of such force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu addresses Haiḍimbī and calls attention to Karṇa’s performance: positioned at the battle’s forefront, he is forcing the Pāṇḍava forces to retreat or scatter, compared to a cowherd driving cattle. The remark is also directed toward Hiḍimbā’s son (Ghaṭotkaca), situating the scene amid the intense clashes of Droṇa Parva.