Shloka 47
Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)
Devanagari script
काम॑ न खलु शक््योऊहं त्वद्विधानां शतैरपि
Transliteration
kāmaṁ na khalu śakyo'haṁ tvadvidhānāṁ śatair api
Translation
“Quả thật, ta không thể—dẫu có đến hàng trăm kẻ như ngươi cũng không thể.”
Word by Word
कामम्indeed; surely; of course
कामम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकामम्
FormAvyaya (emphatic/assent particle)
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
FormAvyaya (negation)
खलुindeed; certainly
खलु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootखलु
FormAvyaya (emphasis/assurance)
शक्यःpossible; feasible
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, nominative, singular
ऊहःconjecture; inference; reasoning
ऊहः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootऊह
FormMasculine, nominative, singular
त्वद्विधानाम्of those like you
त्वद्विधानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootत्वद्विध
FormMasculine, genitive, plural
शतैःby hundreds; with hundreds
शतैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशत
FormNeuter, instrumental, plural
अपिeven; also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
FormAvyaya (even/also)
Speaker
कर्ण उवाच
Characters & Entities
K
KarnaU
unnamed addressee (tvam)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
The verse underscores self-knowledge and realism: ethical action in war requires recognizing genuine capability and not being swayed by empty assurances or sheer numbers.
Karṇa addresses someone directly and emphatically states his inability to do what is suggested, even if aided by many of the addressee’s kind—signaling a tense wartime exchange where limits, strategy, or responsibility are being weighed.