Shloka 596

Devanagari script

वध्यमानापि यत्‌ कर्ण नाजहू रणमूर्धनि । वहाँ हमलोगोंने पांचाल वीरोंका यह अद्भुत पराक्रम देखा कि वे मारे जानेपर भी युद्धके मुहानेपर कर्णको छोड़कर पीछे न हटे

Transliteration

vadhyamānāpi yat karṇa nājahū raṇamūrdhani |

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “O Karna, kahit sila’y pinapatay na, hindi nila iniwan ang harapang linya ng labanan.” Kaya nasaksihan namin ang kahanga-hangang tapang ng mga bayani ng Pāñcāla: kahit nalalagutan ng buhay, hindi sila umurong mula sa bunganga ng digmaan, ni iniwan si Karna.

Word by Word

• वध्यमाना: being slain / while being killed
• वध्यमाना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्य (√वध्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even, although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• यत्: that (relative/indeclinable use: 'since/that')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्

• कर्ण: O Karna
• कर्ण: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अजहत्: they did not abandon/leave
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हाऽ (जहाति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural

• रणमूर्धनि: on the forefront/head of battle
• रणमूर्धनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रणमूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Pāñcāla heroes (Pāñcālāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in one’s chosen duty (kṣatriya-dharma): true valor is not merely victory, but unwavering commitment at the battle-front even under mortal threat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāñcāla fighters, though being killed, did not withdraw from the front line and did not leave Karṇa—showing extraordinary courage and refusal to retreat.