Shloka 12

Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam

A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement

Devanagari script

स शल्यमाभाष्य जगाद वाक्यं पार्थस्य कर्मातिशयं विचिन्त्य । मानेन दर्पेण विदह्ममान: क्रोधेन दीप्यन्निव नि:श्वसंश्ष

Transliteration

sa śalyam ābhāṣya jagāda vākyaṃ pārthasya karmātiśayaṃ vicintya | mānena darpeṇa vidhakṣyamānaḥ krodhena dīpyann iva niḥśvasan naraśreṣṭha | tad-anantaraṃ prakāśamāna-sūryāgni-samāna-tejasvī śatru-vīra-saṃhāraṇe samarthaś ca ratha-stho rathiśreṣṭhaḥ karṇaḥ etad dṛṣṭvā yathā bhīṣma-droṇayoḥ parākramasya lopo jātaḥ, arjunasya alaukika-karmaṇaḥ cintanaṃ kṛtvā abhimāna-darpa-dagdhaḥ krodhāt calann iva dīrgha-dīrghaṃ niḥśvāsaṃ cakāra | tadā sa śalyaṃ sambodhya uvāca —

Translation

桑阇耶说道：迦尔那呼唤舍利耶后开口道——心神尽系于帕尔塔（阿周那）那超绝的武威。自负与傲慢灼烧着他，怒火又使他如焰腾起；他喘息如被风鼓动的烈火。随后，那位最卓越的御者——光辉如日如火，端坐战车，足以歼灭敌方豪杰——见毗湿摩与德罗那之力已衰，便思量阿周那近乎神人的战功。自尊受挫而心如火噬，他长长地、沉沉地吸吐气息，转向舍利耶，开始说道。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यम्: Shalya
• शल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आभाष्य: having addressed/spoken to
• आभाष्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-भाष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• जगाद: said
• जगाद: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वाक्यम्: a statement/word
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कर्म: deed/action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अतिशयम्: excellence/surpassing greatness
• अतिशयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिशय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विचिन्त्य: having reflected upon
• विचिन्त्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चिन्त्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund), Non-finite

• मानेन: by pride/self-esteem
• मानेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दर्पेण: by arrogance
• दर्पेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्प
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विदह्यमानः: being burned/consumed
• विदह्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-दह्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle; middle-style), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्रोधेन: by anger
• क्रोधेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दीप्यन्: blazing
• दीप्यन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• निःश्वसन्: breathing out/sighing
• निःश्वसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नर-ईश्वर: O lord of men (king)!
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Karṇa
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• chariot (ratha)
• sun (sūrya)
• fire (agni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride (māna, darpa) and anger (krodha) distort judgment in conflict: even a great warrior, when consumed by wounded ego, becomes inwardly 'burned' and agitated. Ethically, it cautions that inner discipline is as decisive as outer strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa on the battlefield: seeing the earlier champions Bhīṣma and Droṇa no longer dominating, Karṇa broods over Arjuna’s exceptional feats, becomes inflamed with pride and wrath, breathes heavily, and then addresses his charioteer Śalya to speak.