Shloka 15

अश्ववेगपुरोवातो रथौघस्तनयित्नुमान्‌ । शरधारो महामेघ: शमयिष्यामि पाण्डवम्‌,जो अग्निकी भाँति दुर्धर्ष है, खड़ग, शक्ति और बाणरूपी ईंधनसे प्रज्वलित है और अपने शत्रुको भस्म कर रही है, उस अर्जुनरूपी जलती हुई आगको आज मैं महामेघ बनकर बुझा दूँगा। मेरे अश्वोंका वेग ही पुरवैया हवाका काम करेगा। रथसमूहकी घर्घराहट ही बादलोंकी गम्भीर गर्जनगा होगी और बाणोंकी धारा ही जलधाराका काम करेगी

aśvavegapurovāto rathaughastanayitnumān | śaradhāro mahāmeghaḥ śamayīṣyāmi pāṇḍavam ||

ความเร็วแห่งม้าศึกของเราจะเป็นลมพัดนำหน้า เสียงกึกก้องแห่งหมู่รถศึกจะเป็นคำรามของเมฆ และสายศรจะเป็นสายฝน; เราจะเป็นมหาเมฆพายุแล้วดับปาณฑวะ (อรชุน) ผู้นั้น

अश्ववेगपुरोवातःa fore-wind (as it were) in front, i.e., the horse-speed acting like a headwind
अश्ववेगपुरोवातः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व-वेग-पुरोवात
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रथौघःa flood/mass of chariots
रथौघः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootरथ-ओघ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तनयित्नुमान्thundering; possessing thunder
तनयित्नुमान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootतनयित्नु-मत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शरधारःa stream/shower of arrows
शरधारः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशर-धार
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महामेघःa great cloud
महामेघः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहा-मेघ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शमयिष्यामिI will pacify/quieten; I will extinguish
शमयिष्यामि:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootशम् (शमयति)
FormSimple Future (Luṭ), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada
पाण्डवम्the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)
पाण्डवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

कर्ण उवाच

K
Karna
P
Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)
H
horses
C
chariots
A
arrows
S
storm-cloud (mahāmegha)
W
wind
T
thunder

Educational Q&A

The verse illustrates how martial pride and rivalry can transform conflict into a contest of overpowering the other’s brilliance. Ethically, it highlights the kṣatriya tendency to frame violence as heroic necessity, while implicitly warning that such self-assured metaphors can mask the human cost of war.

Karna declares his intention to confront the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) and uses a storm metaphor: horse-speed becomes wind, chariot-noise becomes thunder, and arrows become rain, by which he will ‘extinguish’ Arjuna’s fiery prowess.