Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 443

Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)

Devanagari script

कर्णस्य निधने ह्ृष्टा: सुषुपुस्तां निशां तदा । वे सभी महाधथनुर्धर पांचाल और पाण्डवयोद्धा कर्णके मारे जानेसे हर्षमें भरकर रात्रिमें सुखकी नींद सोये

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

karṇasya nidhane hṛṣṭāḥ suṣupustāṃ niśāṃ tadā |

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Nang mapatay si Karṇa, ang mga mandirigmang Pāṇḍava kasama ang mga dakilang mamamana ng Pāñcāla ay napuspos ng galak, at nang gabing iyon ay nakatulog sila nang payapa at maginhawa.

Word by Word

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

• निधने: at (the time of) the death
• निधने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• हृष्टाः: delighted, rejoicing
• हृष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुषुपुः: slept
• सुषुपुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• निशाम्: night
• निशाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Karna
• Panchalas
• Pandavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the human and strategic reality that removing a powerful threat brings immediate emotional release and security to one’s side, even in a war framed by dharma; it invites reflection on how victory and joy can coexist with the grave cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Karna’s death, the Pāṇḍava and Pāñcāla fighters feel uplifted and safe enough to sleep peacefully through the night, indicating a shift in morale and perceived battlefield advantage.