Shloka 17

Adhyāya 2: Nārada’s Disclosure—Karṇa’s Training and the Brahmin’s Curse (Śānti-parva)

Devanagari script

तत्र कर्णस्य वसतो महेन्द्रे स्वर्गसंनिभे । गन्धर्व राक्षसैर्यक्षैदेवैजश्ञासीत्‌ू समागम:

Transliteration

tatra karṇasya vasato mahendre svargasaṃnibhe | gandharvarākṣasairyākṣaidevaiś ca samāgamaḥ ||

Translation

เมื่อกรรณะพำนักอยู่บนเขามเหนทรอันงดงามดุจสวรรค์ เขาย่อมได้มีโอกาสพบปะคบหากับคนธรรพ์ รากษส ยักษ์ และแม้แต่เหล่าเทพอยู่เนือง ๆ

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• कर्णस्य: of Karna
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वसतः: while dwelling/staying
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• महेन्द्रे: on/at Mahendra (mountain)
• महेन्द्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• स्वर्ग-संनिभे: resembling heaven
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्गसंनिभ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गन्धर्वैः: by/with Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• राक्षसैः: by/with Rakshasas
• राक्षसैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• यक्षैः: by/with Yakshas
• यक्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• देवैः: by/with gods
• देवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अश्नासीत्: ate/partook
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• समागमः: meeting/association
• समागमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karṇa
• Mahendra (mountain)
• Svarga (heaven)
• Gandharvas
• Rākṣasas
• Yakṣas
• Devas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a person’s life can be shaped by environments and associations that are larger than the human sphere; proximity to the divine and the extraordinary implies heightened responsibility and the moral significance of one’s conduct (dharma) amid power and privilege.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes Karṇa residing on the heaven-like Mahendra mountain, where he frequently encounters various superhuman beings—Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, Yakṣas, and gods—indicating an elevated, otherworldly setting around him.