Shloka 12

जयद्रथविमोचन–पलायनवृत्तान्तः

Recovery of Draupadī and Jayadratha’s flight

Devanagari script

रुक्मिणं दाक्षिणात्येषु योधयामास सूतज: । स युद्ध तुमुलं कृत्वा रुक्मी प्रोवाच सूतजम्‌,दक्षिण दिशामें पहुँचकर कर्णने बड़े-बड़े महारथियोंको जीता। दाक्षिणात्योंमें रुक्मीके साथ कर्णने युद्ध किया। रुक्मीने पहले तो बड़ा भयंकर युद्ध किया, फिर उसने सूतपुत्र कर्णसे कहा

Transliteration

rukmiṇaṃ dākṣiṇātyeṣu yodhayāmāsa sūtajaḥ | sa yuddhaṃ tumulaṃ kṛtvā rukmī provāca sūtajam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Ở các miền phương Nam, Karṇa—người con của kẻ đánh xe—giao chiến với Rukmī. Sau khi làm dậy lên một trận chiến ầm vang, dữ dội, Rukmī liền lên tiếng nói với Karṇa.

Word by Word

रुक्मिणम्Rukmin (as object)

दाक्षिणात्येषुamong the Southerners

योधयामासmade (him) fight / fought (with)

सूतजःthe charioteer’s son (Karna)

सःhe

युद्धम्battle

तुमुलम्tumultuous, fierce

कृत्वाhaving made / having done

रुक्मीRukmi

प्रोवाचsaid, spoke

सूतजम्to the charioteer’s son (Karna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Karna

Rukmī

Dakṣiṇa (southern regions/Dākṣiṇātyas)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that warfare is not only about force but also about intention and conduct: after intense combat, the way a warrior speaks and positions his claim (honor, rivalry, dharma, or pride) becomes ethically significant within the Mahābhārata’s moral universe.

What is happening in the narrative?

During a campaign in the southern regions, Karna fights Rukmī. The battle becomes fierce and tumultuous; once that clash is enacted, Rukmī begins to address Karna, setting up the next exchange in the story.