Shloka 563

Devanagari script

कालान्तकवपु: शूर: सूतपुत्रो5भ्यराजत । इस प्रकार शत्रुओंको तपानेवाला कर्ण मध्याह्न-कालके सूर्यकी भाँति तप रहा था। उस समय उसकी ओर देखना कठिन हो गया था। शूरवीर सूतपुत्रका शरीर काल और अन्तकके समान सुशोभित हो रहा था

Transliteration

kālāntakavapuḥ śūraḥ sūtaputro 'bhyarājata |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا— بہادر سوت پتر کرن، کال اور انتک کی مانند ہیبت ناک صورت کے ساتھ چمک اٹھا۔ دشمنوں کو جلاتا ہوا وہ دوپہر کے سورج کی طرح دہک رہا تھا؛ اس وقت اس کی طرف دیکھنا بھی دشوار ہو گیا۔ اسی لمحے اس کے جسم پر گویا کال و انتک کی خوف انگیز شان ہی زیور بن کر نمایاں تھی۔

Word by Word

कालान्तकवपुःhaving a body like Kāla and Antaka (Death)

शूरःthe hero

सूतपुत्रःthe charioteer’s son (Karna)

अभ्यराजतshone forth, was resplendent

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Kāla

Antaka

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the epic’s vision of war as a domain where human valor can resemble cosmic forces: a warrior’s prowess may appear like Kāla (Time) and Antaka (Death). It cautions that martial brilliance carries ethical weight—radiance and victory are inseparable from the shadow of destruction and the inevitability of death.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karna is blazing on the battlefield, scorching enemies and appearing so radiant that he is difficult to behold—likened to the midday sun and described as having a form comparable to Time and Death.