Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 16

अस्त्रयुद्धे द्रौणिपार्थसंघर्षः — Karṇa’s Bhārgavāstra and the Search for Yudhiṣṭhira

Chapter 45

निदेशात्‌ सूतपुत्रस्य सरथा: साश्वपत्तय: । आह्वयन्तोअ्र्जुनं तस्थु: केशवं च महाबलम्‌

sañjaya uvāca |

nideśāt sūtaputrasya sarathāḥ sāśvapattayaḥ |

āhvayanto 'rjunaṃ tasthuḥ keśavaṃ ca mahābalam ||

三阇耶说道:奉车夫之子迦尔纳之命,甘婆阇、释迦与夜婆那诸军,配以战车、骑兵与步兵,稳立于各自阵位,高声挑战阿周那与大力的计舍婆(奎师那)。

निदेशात्from the command
निदेशात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootनिदेश
FormMasculine, Ablative, Singular
सूतपुत्रस्यof the charioteer’s son (Karna)
सूतपुत्रस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसूतपुत्र
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
सरथाःwith chariots
सरथाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसरथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
साश्वपत्तयःwith cavalry and infantry
साश्वपत्तयः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसाश्वपत्ति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
आह्वयन्तःchallenging/calling
आह्वयन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआह्वा
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
अर्जुनम्Arjuna
अर्जुनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअर्जुन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तस्थुःstood
तस्थुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootस्था
FormPerfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural
केशवम्Keshava (Krishna)
केशवम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकेशव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
महाबलम्mighty/very strong
महाबलम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाबल
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
K
Karna (Sūtaputra)
A
Arjuna
K
Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
K
Kāmbojas
Ś
Śakas
Y
Yavanas
C
chariots
C
cavalry
I
infantry

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how, in war, collective action is driven by command and allegiance: troops act under a leader’s order, and their public challenge escalates the conflict. Ethically, it points to the tension between duty-bound obedience and the destructive momentum that such obedience can unleash in a righteous war.

Sañjaya reports that, following Karṇa’s command, allied foreign warrior-groups—Kāmbojas, Śakas, and Yavanas—stand in formation with chariots, cavalry, and infantry, and they challenge Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa on the battlefield.