Shloka 25

Adhyāya 2: Nārada’s Disclosure—Karṇa’s Training and the Brahmin’s Curse (Śānti-parva)

Devanagari script

) १(५०८४०००५. ् * हे (३६.४) झ्ल ततश्नक्रे महीग्रस्ते मूर्धानं ते विचेतस: । पातयिष्यति विक्रम्य शत्रुर्गच्छ नराधम

Transliteration

tataḥ śakre mahīgraste mūrdhānaṁ te vicetasaḥ | pātayiṣyati vikramya śatrur gaccha narādhama ||

Translation

Hỡi Indra! Khi ngươi bị đánh gục và nằm trên mặt đất, tâm trí rối loạn, thì kẻ thù của ngươi—tiến tới bằng sức mạnh—sẽ chém rơi đầu ngươi. Hãy đi đi, hỡi kẻ hèn mạt nhất trong loài người: đó là số phận dành cho kẻ đã mất sự phân biệt và hành động không tự chế.

Word by Word

• he: O (vocative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: he

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas

• śakre: when/with Śakra (Indra)
• śakre: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• mahī-graste: when (he is) seized by the earth / earth-swallowed
• mahī-graste: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahī-grasta
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• mūrdhānam: head
• mūrdhānam: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrdhan
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• te: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tvad
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• vicetasaḥ: O senseless one / O one bereft of understanding
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicetas
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• pātayiṣyati: will cause to fall / will strike down
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, true

• vikramya: having advanced/stepped forth; exerting prowess
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-kram
• Form: Lyap (absolutive/gerund)

• śatruḥ: the enemy
• śatruḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• gaccha: go
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• narādhama: O lowest of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-adhama
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• śatru (enemy)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Loss of discernment (vicetasaḥ) and arrogant, unrestrained action lead to disgrace and ruin; ethical self-control and clear judgment are implied as the safeguard for rulers and warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses Śakra (Indra) in a sharp warning: if he persists in a misguided course, an enemy will overpower him, cast him to the ground, and humiliate him—an admonition framed as a prediction of consequences.