Shloka 12

Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam

A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement

Devanagari script

स शल्यमाभाष्य जगाद वाक्यं पार्थस्य कर्मातिशयं विचिन्त्य । मानेन दर्पेण विदह्ममान: क्रोधेन दीप्यन्निव नि:श्वसंश्ष

Transliteration

sa śalyam ābhāṣya jagāda vākyaṃ pārthasya karmātiśayaṃ vicintya | mānena darpeṇa vidhakṣyamānaḥ krodhena dīpyann iva niḥśvasan naraśreṣṭha | tad-anantaraṃ prakāśamāna-sūryāgni-samāna-tejasvī śatru-vīra-saṃhāraṇe samarthaś ca ratha-stho rathiśreṣṭhaḥ karṇaḥ etad dṛṣṭvā yathā bhīṣma-droṇayoḥ parākramasya lopo jātaḥ, arjunasya alaukika-karmaṇaḥ cintanaṃ kṛtvā abhimāna-darpa-dagdhaḥ krodhāt calann iva dīrgha-dīrghaṃ niḥśvāsaṃ cakāra | tadā sa śalyaṃ sambodhya uvāca —

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Sau khi gọi Śalya, Karṇa cất lời—tâm trí chăm chú vào uy lực phi thường của Pārtha (Arjuna). Bị thiêu đốt bởi kiêu mạn và ngạo khí, lại bừng bừng vì giận dữ, chàng thở gấp như ngọn lửa bị gió quạt. Rồi vị xa thủ bậc nhất ấy—rạng ngời như mặt trời và lửa, ngồi trên chiến xa, đủ sức diệt các dũng tướng địch—thấy sức mạnh của Bhīṣma và Droṇa đã suy tàn, liền nghĩ đến những chiến công siêu phàm của Arjuna. Bị dày vò bởi lòng tự tôn bị tổn thương, chàng hít những hơi dài, nặng nề, quay sang Śalya và bắt đầu nói.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यम्: Shalya
• शल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आभाष्य: having addressed/spoken to
• आभाष्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-भाष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• जगाद: said
• जगाद: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वाक्यम्: a statement/word
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कर्म: deed/action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतिशयम्: excellence/surpassing greatness
• अतिशयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिशय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विचिन्त्य: having reflected upon
• विचिन्त्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चिन्त्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• मानेन: by pride/self-esteem
• मानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दर्पेण: by arrogance
• दर्पेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विदह्यमानः: being burned/consumed
• विदह्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-दह्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle; middle-style), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधेन: by anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दीप्यन्: blazing
• दीप्यन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• निःश्वसन्: breathing out/sighing
• निःश्वसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नर-ईश्वर: O lord of men (king)!
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Karṇa
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• chariot (ratha)
• sun (sūrya)
• fire (agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride (māna, darpa) and anger (krodha) distort judgment in conflict: even a great warrior, when consumed by wounded ego, becomes inwardly 'burned' and agitated. Ethically, it cautions that inner discipline is as decisive as outer strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa on the battlefield: seeing the earlier champions Bhīṣma and Droṇa no longer dominating, Karṇa broods over Arjuna’s exceptional feats, becomes inflamed with pride and wrath, breathes heavily, and then addresses his charioteer Śalya to speak.