Shloka 11

अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः

Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces

Devanagari script

शिखण्डी च ययौ कर्ण धृष्टद्युम्न: सुतं तव । दुःशासनं महाराज महत्या सेनया वृतम्‌

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍī ca yayau karṇa dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ sutaṃ tava | duḥśāsanaṃ mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtam ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: “Hỡi Karṇa, Śikhaṇḍī tiến lên; và Dhṛṣṭadyumna chuyển quân đánh vào con trai của bệ hạ—Duḥśāsana, tâu Đại vương—kẻ đang được một đạo quân lớn bao bọc.”

Word by Word

• शिखण्डी: Shikhandi
• शिखण्डी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• ययौ: went/advanced
• Type: Verb
• Root: या
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुतम्: son
• सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• दुःशासनम्: Duhshasana
• दुःशासनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• महत्या: by a great
• महत्या: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सेनया: army
• सेनया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वृतम्: surrounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त) from √वृ (वृणोति/वृ) 'to cover, surround'

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍī
• Karna
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Duḥśāsana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• senā (army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: individuals act within the duty of battle (kṣatriya-dharma) while pursuing personal aims and rivalries. It reminds the reader that large-scale conflict amplifies consequences—personal hostility becomes collective violence under the banner of duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports battlefield movements: Śikhaṇḍī advances, and Dhṛṣṭadyumna targets Duḥśāsana (described as the king’s son), who is heavily guarded by a large force. The scene sets up a focused engagement amid the broader clash of armies.