Shloka 14

Karṇa-vadha-pratyaya: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Verification of Karṇa’s Fall (कर्णवध-प्रत्ययः)

Devanagari script

स पुनस्तानरीन्‌ हत्वा पुनरुत्तरतोडवधीत्‌

Transliteration

sa punas tān arīn hatvā punar uttarato 'vadhīt

Translation

三阇耶说道：他既诛杀了那些敌人，又再度击倒从北面推进的另一批。此句凸显战斗无情的惯性——胜利在此以一次又一次的强力行动来衡量；而战争的伦理张力则隐而不言：武勇与职责在不断夺命之中展开。

Word by Word

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

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• तान्: those (men)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अरीन्: enemies
• अरीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• उत्तरतो: from the north / northwards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तरतः

• अवधीत्: slew / killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• enemies (arayaḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless nature of battlefield duty: once an enemy wave is overcome, another must be faced without hesitation. It implicitly reflects the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in combat, even as the moral weight of killing remains in the background.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the warrior (contextually identified in surrounding verses) first kills a group of enemies and then, turning to the northern side, kills additional foes approaching from that direction.