Mahabharata · 5.139.56-57
॥
Devanāgarī
ब्राह्मणाः कथयिष्यन्ति महाभारतम् आहवम् ॥
समागमेषु वार्ष्णेय क्षत्रियाणां यशोधरम् ॥
समुपानय कौन्तेयं युद्धाय मम केशव ॥
मन्त्रसंवरणं कुर्वन् नित्यम् एव परंतप ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
brāhmaṇāḥ kathayiṣyanti mahābhāratam āhavam ||
samāgameṣu vārṣṇeya kṣatriyāṇāṃ yaśodharam ||
samupānaya kaunteyaṃ yuddhāya mama keśava ||
mantrasaṃvaraṇaṃ kurvan nityam eva paraṃtapa ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ब्राह्मणाःbrāhmaṇāḥbrahmanas; sacred teachers
कथयिष्यन्तिkathayiṣyantiwill tell; will narrate
महाभारतम्mahābhāratamthe Mahabharata; the great battle of the Bharatas
आहवम्āhavamthe battle; the combat
समागमेषुsamāgameṣuat gatherings; at assemblies
वार्ष्णेयvārṣṇeyaO descendant of Vrishni; scion of Vrishni
क्षत्रियाणांkṣatriyāṇāṃof the kshatriyas; of the warriors
यशोधरम्yaśodharambearer of glory; upholder of honor
समुपानयsamupānayabring; lead forth
कौन्तेयंkaunteyaṃthe son of Kunti; Kaunteya
युद्धायyuddhāyato battle; for combat
ममmamato me; for me
केशवkeśavaO Keshava; Krishna
मन्त्रसंवरणंmantrasaṃvaraṇaṃconcealment of the counsel; keeping the secret
कुर्वन्kurvandoing; observing
नित्यम्nityamalways; constantly
एवevaindeed; just
परंतपparaṃtapaO scorcher of foes; burner of enemies
Translation
'Brahmanas will tell of the Mahabharata, the great battle of the Bharatas, at the gatherings of kshatriyas, as the bearer of glory, O descendant of Vrishni. Bring the son of Kunti to me for battle, O Keshava, always keeping this counsel secret, O scorcher of foes.'
Version
c851fcf9d5da · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:59:56 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Karna speaks from within a complex dharma: he acknowledges the truth Krishna has revealed, yet does not renounce his debt of gratitude to those who raised and supported him. His image of the war as a sacrifice shows that he already experiences the battle as an inevitable, sacred and terrible reckoning for choices already made.