Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यदेक: समरे शूरान्‌ सूतपुत्र: प्रतापवान्‌ । यतमानान्‌ परं शक्‍त्या योधयानांश्व धन्विन:

Transliteration

yad ekaḥ samare śūrān sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān | yatamānān paraṁ śaktyā yodhayānāṁś ca dhanvinaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Vì sao người con của kẻ đánh xe, dũng mãnh và uy lực phi thường, lại có thể một mình đứng giữa chiến địa đối đầu các dũng sĩ—đối đầu những cung thủ đang gắng sức đến tột cùng và dồn ép cuộc giao tranh bằng toàn bộ sức lực?”

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

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

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शूरान्: heroes, brave warriors
• शूरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सूतपुत्रः: the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• यतमानान्: striving, exerting themselves
• यतमानान्: Karma
• Type: Participle (Adjective)
• Root: यतमान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle) from √यत् (यतते) 'to strive'

• परम्: greatly, exceedingly / the utmost
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective/Adverb
• Root: पर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शक्त्या: with (his) शक्ति-spear
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• योधयान्: fighting, engaging (them) in battle
• योधयान्: Karma
• Type: Participle (Adjective)
• Root: योधयत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, शतृ (present active participle) from causative √युध् → योधयति 'to make fight, to fight against'

• अश्व: horse
• अश्व: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धन्विनः: of the archer
• धन्विनः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (sūtaputra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of steadfast valor in battle—single-minded effort and courage even when opposed by many. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between admiration for martial excellence and the tragic cost of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing (with astonishment and emphasis) how Karṇa, famed as the sūtaputra, confronted numerous heroic archers who were fighting at full strength, underscoring Karṇa’s solitary stand and formidable prowess.