Shloka 46

Drupada’s Putrakāmeṣṭi: The Sacrificial Birth of Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

पाण्डवोंकी व्यासजीसे भेंट धृष्टद्युम्नकी घोषणा स हि सृष्टो मघवता शक्तिहेतोर्महात्मना । कर्णस्याप्रतिवीर्यस्य प्रतियोद्धा महारथ:,महामना इन्द्रने अनुपम पराक्रमी कर्णकी शक्तिका आघात सहन करनेके लिये घटोत्कचकी सृष्टि की थी। वह कर्णके सम्मुख युद्ध करनेमें समर्थ महारथी वीर था

Transliteration

sa hi sṛṣṭo maghavatā śakti-hetoḥ mahātmanā | karṇasyāprati-vīryasya pratiyoddhā mahārathaḥ ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“确然，那大心的摩伽婆（因陀罗）为‘沙克提’之故创造了他，使他成为对抗的勇士——一位强大的车战大将——以迎战被视为无双的迦尔那。他被生出，正为承受迦尔那之沙克提一击，从而护持般度五子在战争中的大业。”

Word by Word

सःhe

हिindeed

सृष्टःcreated

मघवताby Maghavat (Indra)

शक्ति-हेतोःfor the sake of the spear (power/weapon)

महात्मनाby the great-souled one

कर्णस्यof Karna

अप्रतिवीर्यस्यof the irresistible (unmatched in valor)

प्रतियोद्धाcounter-fighter, opponent

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

महामनाgreat-minded

इन्द्रेणby Indra

अनुपम-पराक्रमीof incomparable prowess

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Maghavat (Indra)

Karṇa

Śakti (weapon)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary power in war is often met with deliberate countermeasures—sometimes even divinely arranged—suggesting that victory and survival depend not only on individual valor but also on larger designs, protective strategies, and the ethical aim of safeguarding one’s side.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana explains that a formidable warrior was created by Indra specifically to serve as a fitting opponent to Karṇa and, crucially, to absorb or withstand the impact of Karṇa’s Śakti weapon, thereby neutralizing a decisive threat in the coming conflict.