Shloka 3

कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan

Adhyāya 31

Devanagari script

श्रुत॒वानसि कर्णस्य ब्रुवतो वदतां वर । यथा नृपतिसिंहानां मध्ये त्वां वरये स्वयम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

śrutavān asi karṇasya bruvato vadatāṁ vara |

yathā nṛpati-siṁhānāṁ madhye tvāṁ varaye svayam |

mahābhāga satyavrata śatrūṇāṁ santāpa-vardhana madrarāja raṇavīra śatru-sainya-bhayaṅkara vaktṝṇāṁ śreṣṭha | āpaṇe karṇasya vākyam śrutavān asi | tadanusāreṇa eṣāṁ rāja-siṁhānāṁ madhye ahaṁ svayam eva tava varaṇaṁ karomi ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“噢，雄辩者之最，你已听见迦尔那开口所言。依其言语，就在这些狮子般的诸王之间，我亲自择你。噢，大福德者，坚守真实者，增添敌人痛苦者——噢，摩陀罗之王，战场英雄，敌军之恐惧——既闻迦尔那之谋，我今当众宣告：在这些王者勇士之中，我选择你。”

Word by Word

• श्रुतवान्: having heard
• श्रुतवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रुतवत् (श्रु धातु-कृत, क्तवत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• असि: you are
• असि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 2, Singular

• कर्णस्य: of Karna
• कर्णस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ब्रुवतः: of (him) speaking
• ब्रुवतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रुवत् (ब्रू धातु-शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वदताम्: of speakers / among those who speak
• वदताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: वदत् (वद् धातु-शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वर: O excellent one
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथा: as / according to how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• नृपति-सिंहानाम्: of the lion-like kings
• नृपति-सिंहानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति + सिंह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मध्य

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• वरये: I choose / I select
• वरये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: Present, 1, Singular

• स्वयम्: myself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Karna
• Madraraja (King of Madra)
• nṛpati-siṁhāḥ (lion-like kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of public choice and allegiance in a royal-warrior assembly: one should choose and endorse leadership openly, grounded in truthfulness (satyavrata) and proven capability, especially when counsel has been duly heard.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports a scene where, after hearing Karna’s words, a speaker publicly selects and praises the king of Madra amid an assembly of powerful kings, emphasizing his truthfulness, martial prowess, and intimidating presence against enemy forces.