Mahabharata · 7.6.8–9
॥
Devanāgarī
हर्षयन् सर्वसैन्यानि बलेषु बलम् आदधत् ॥
ययौ वैकर्तनः कर्णः प्रमुखे सर्वधन्विनाम् ॥
तस्य दीप्तो महाकायः स्वान्य् अनीकानि हर्षयन् ॥
हस्तिकक्ष्यामहाकेतुर् बभौ सूर्यसमद्युतिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
harṣayan sarvasainyāni baleṣu balam ādadhat ||
yayau vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ pramukhe sarvadhanvinām ||
tasya dīpto mahākāyaḥ svāny anīkāni harṣayan ||
hastikakṣyāmahāketur babhau sūryasamadyutiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
हर्षयन्harṣayangladdening [inspiring]; cheering
सर्वसैन्यानिsarvasainyāniall the troops; all the armies
बलेषुbaleṣuinto the [battle] forces; to all the divisions
बलम्balammight; strength
आदधत्ādadhatinstilling [imparting]; conveying
ययौyayauset forth; advanced
वैकर्तनःvaikartanaḥVaikartana [son of the Sun]; Karna, descendant of the Sun
कर्णःkarṇaḥKarna
प्रमुखेpramukheat the head [in front]; in the vanguard
सर्वधन्विनाम्sarvadhanvināmof all the bowmen; of all the archers
तस्यtasyahis; of him
दीप्तःdīptaḥradiant [blazing]; gleaming
महाकायःmahākāyaḥof mighty frame; huge of body
स्वानिsvānihis own; his own
अनीकानिanīkānitroops; regiments
हर्षयन्harṣayangladdening; inspiring
हस्तिकक्ष्यामहाकेतुःhastikakṣyāmahāketuḥhe whose great banner bore an elephant-girth; with a huge standard [in the form] of an elephant's saddle-cloth
बभौbabhaushone; gleamed
सूर्यसमद्युतिःsūryasamadyutiḥradiant as the sun; like the sun in splendor
Translation
Gladdening all the troops and instilling strength in every division, Vaikartana Karna advanced at the head of all the bowmen. His blazing, huge body, gladdening his own regiments, and he, with his great banner in the form of an elephant's saddle-cloth, shone radiant as the sun.
Version
7a4692ab1237 · published Jul 19, 2026, 2:46:26 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Karna shines 'like the sun' and by his very appearance instills strength in the army — yet this radiance of the Sun's son is only reflected, like the light of the moon: his valor is brilliant, yet it serves darkness. It is telling that two luminaries are set to face one another: Karna, the 'sun' of the Kauravas, and Arjuna beneath the banner of Hanuman, behind whom stands Krishna. The verse teaches that even the greatest brilliance of a mortal hero is borrowed and passing; that the inspiration a valiant commander brings to an army is real but short-lived if not grounded in truth; and that the sun of an unrighteous cause is destined to set before the one behind whom stands the Source of all light.