Shloka 38

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

द्रौपदेयान्‌ युधामन्युं सात्यकिं च महारथम्‌ । एक: संवारयामास प्रेक्षणीय: समनन्‍्ततः

Transliteration

draūpadeyān yudhāmanyuṁ sātyakiṁ ca mahāratham | ekaḥ saṁvārayāmāsa prekṣaṇīyaḥ samanantataḥ, mahārāja |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Tâu Đại vương, Karna—con trai của Radha, đáng để mọi ánh mắt dõi theo—một mình đã chặn đứng đà tiến của quân Panchala liên minh với các Pandava, gồm cả năm người con của Draupadi, Yudhamanyu và vị đại chiến xa Satyaki. Khi ấy, thế đứng đơn độc của chàng phô bày ý chí quyết liệt và kỷ luật võ trận, đẩy cuộc chiến leo thang không ngừng, đồng thời khoét sâu cái giá đạo lý mà mọi phe đều phải gánh.

Word by Word

• द्रौपदेयान्: the sons of Draupadī
• द्रौपदेयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौपदेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• युधामन्युम्: Yudhāmanyu
• युधामन्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधामन्यु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकः: alone, single-handed
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संवारयामास: held back, checked, restrained
• Type: Verb
• Root: सं-√वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), Third, Singular

• प्रेक्षणीयः: worth seeing, splendid to behold
• प्रेक्षणीयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेक्षणीय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides, all around
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Karna (Radheya, son of Radha)
• Draupadi’s five sons (Draupadeyas)
• Yudhamanyu
• Satyaki (Yuyudhana)
• Pandavas
• Panchalas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how individual excellence and resolve can decisively shape events in war, while also implying the ethical tension of kshatriya valor: extraordinary prowess may be admirable, yet it serves a conflict whose cumulative suffering burdens all parties.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna alone blocks the forward movement of the Pandava-allied Panchala forces, specifically naming Draupadi’s five sons, Yudhamanyu, and the great warrior Satyaki, preventing them from advancing.