Shloka 47

कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation

Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows

Devanagari script

संनिवार्य च योधान्‌ स सत्येन शपथेन च । प्रायोजयदमेयात्मा भार्गवास्त्र महाबल:

Transliteration

sannivārya ca yodhān sa satyena śapathena ca | prāyojayad ameyātmā bhārgavāstra-mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：他先约束诸将，又以真实（satya）与庄严誓言加以约束；此人心量无量，且于婆罗伽婆之神兵大有威力，遂令众人各就其职。

Word by Word

• संनिवार्य: having restrained/checked
• संनिवार्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-नि-√वृ (निवारयति)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), परस्मैपद-प्रयोगार्थकः (कर्तरि), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (absolutive)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• योधान्: warriors
• योधान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• सत्येन: by truth / with truth
• सत्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शपथेन: by an oath
• शपथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शपथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्रायोजयत्: set in motion / employed / directed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√युज् (प्रयोजयति)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Singular, Active

• अमेयात्मा: he whose nature is immeasurable
• अमेयात्मा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेयात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भार्गवास्त्रम्: the Bhargava weapon (Parashurama’s missile)
• भार्गवास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव-अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• warriors (yodhāḥ)
• Bhārgavāstra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, leadership is not merely coercion; it also relies on moral instruments—truthfulness (satya) and binding vows (śapatha)—to restrain impulsive violence and enforce disciplined, accountable action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a powerful figure, skilled in the Bhārgava weapon, first restrains the warriors and then directs them to act, compelling obedience through an appeal to truth and the force of a solemn oath.