Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 3

धर्मरहस्योपदेशः

Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

Devanagari script

ततः पक्ष: प्रपक्षश्न शकुनिश्चापि सौबल: । तदा सश्त्रा: कुरवो भीममभ्यद्रवन्‌ रणे

Transliteration

tataḥ pakṣaḥ prapakṣaś ca śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ | tadā saśastrāḥ kuravo bhīmam abhyadravan raṇe ||

Translation

แล้วกองทหารที่ประจำอยู่ ณ ปีกและปีกต้าน พร้อมด้วยศกุนีโอรสสุบาละ และเหล่าวีรกุรุผู้ถือศัสตรา ก็กรูกันในสนามรบเข้าจู่โจมภีมะ

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• पक्षः: wing/flank (of an army)
• पक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रपक्षः: front wing/fore-flank
• प्रपक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपक्ष
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• शकुनिः: Shakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• च: also/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: indeclinable

• सौबलः: son of Subala (epithet of Shakuni)
• सौबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौबल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तदा: at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: indeclinable

• सशस्त्राः: armed (with weapons)
• सशस्त्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शस्त्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• कुरवः: the Kurus (Kaurava warriors)
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अभ्यद्रवन्: ran towards/charged at
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), parasmaipada, 3rd person, plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śakuni
• Subala
• Kuru warriors (Kauravas)
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warfare amplifies strategic coordination and collective force, raising ethical tension: even when combat is a Kṣatriya duty, the manner of fighting—mass assault, tactical encirclement, and intent—tests the boundaries of dharma and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that units positioned on the flank and counter-flank, together with Śakuni and other armed Kaurava fighters, launch a coordinated charge against Bhīma on the battlefield.