Shloka 16

कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke

Devanagari script

विस्मापयन्‌ प्रेक्षणीयं द्विषतां भयवर्धनम्‌ । महारथसहस््रस्य सम॑ कर्माकरोज्जय:,इति श्रीमहाभारते कर्णपर्वणि अश्वत्थामार्जुनसंवादे षोडशो5ध्याय:

Transliteration

vismāpayan prekṣaṇīyaṃ dviṣatāṃ bhayavardhanam | mahāratha-sahasrasya samaṃ karmākaroj jayaḥ ||

Translation

桑阇耶说道：“此景令所有目睹者惊叹，也使敌人的恐惧倍增——阇耶所行之业，堪比一千名大车战士的功业。”

Word by Word

• विस्मापयन्: astonishing (causing wonder)
• विस्मापयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विस्मापय् (विस्मि + णिच्)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), परस्मैपद-कर्तरि, पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रेक्षणीयम्: worthy to be seen; splendid
• प्रेक्षणीयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेक्षणीय
• Form: अनीयर् (भाव्य/योग्य), नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्विषताम्: of the enemies
• द्विषताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विषत्
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• भयवर्धनम्: fear-increasing (thing/deed)
• भयवर्धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भयवर्धन
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महारथसहस्रस्य: of a thousand great chariot-warriors
• महारथसहस्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथसहस्र
• Form: नपुं, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• समम्: equally; all at once
• समम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम

• कर्म: deed; action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अकरोत्: did; performed
• अकरोत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• जयः: Jaya (Arjuna)
• जयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Jaya
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• enemies (dviṣat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary prowess and resolve can decisively affect the battlefield’s moral psychology: a single warrior’s visible excellence can inspire awe among allies and intensify fear among opponents, shaping outcomes beyond mere numbers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, as narrator, describes a warrior (called ‘Jaya’ here) performing astonishing, battle-worthy feats—so formidable that they seemed equal to the combined actions of a thousand elite chariot-fighters—thereby terrifying the enemy side.