महाभारतः mahābhārataḥ - book-7, chapter-133, verse-23

बाहुभिः क्षत्रियाः शूरा वाग्भिः शूरा द्विजातयः ।
धनुषा फल्गुनः शूरः कर्णः शूरो मनोरथैः ॥२३॥

23. bāhubhiḥ kṣatriyāḥ śūrā vāgbhiḥ śūrā dvijātayaḥ ,
dhanuṣā phalgunaḥ śūraḥ karṇaḥ śūro manorathaiḥ.

23. bāhubhiḥ kṣatriyāḥ śūrāḥ vāgbhiḥ śūrāḥ dvijātayaḥ
dhanuṣā phalgunaḥ śūraḥ karṇaḥ śūraḥ manorathaiḥ

23. kṣatriyāḥ bāhubhiḥ śūrāḥ dvijātayaḥ vāgbhiḥ śūrāḥ
phalgunaḥ dhanuṣā śūraḥ karṇaḥ manorathaiḥ śūraḥ

23. Warriors (kṣatriyāḥ) are brave with their arms; the twice-born (dvijātayaḥ) are brave with their words. Phalguna (Arjuna) is brave with his bow; Karṇa is brave only with his desires (manorathaiḥ).

Words meanings summery:

• बाहुभिः (bāhubhiḥ) - by arms, with arms

• क्षत्रियाः (kṣatriyāḥ) - warriors, members of the kṣatriya caste

• शूराः (śūrāḥ) - brave, heroic, heroes

• वाग्भिः (vāgbhiḥ) - by words, with speech

• शूराः (śūrāḥ) - brave, heroic, heroes

• द्विजातयः (dvijātayaḥ) - Brahmins (dvijātayaḥ) (the twice-born)

• धनुषा (dhanuṣā) - by a bow, with a bow

• फल्गुनः (phalgunaḥ) - Phalguna (Arjuna)

• शूरः (śūraḥ) - brave, heroic, hero

• कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa

• शूरः (śūraḥ) - brave, heroic, hero

• मनोरथैः (manorathaiḥ) - by desires, by aspirations, by mental wishes

Words meanings and morphology

बाहुभिः (bāhubhiḥ) - by arms, with arms

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of bāhu

bāhu - arm

क्षत्रियाः (kṣatriyāḥ) - warriors, members of the kṣatriya caste

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of kṣatriya

kṣatriya - warrior, member of the kṣatriya caste, ruler

Note: Subject.

शूराः (śūrāḥ) - brave, heroic, heroes

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śūra

śūra - brave, valorous, hero

Note: Predicate adjective for kṣatriyāḥ.

वाग्भिः (vāgbhiḥ) - by words, with speech

(noun)

Instrumental, feminine, plural of vāc

vāc - word, speech, voice

शूराः (śūrāḥ) - brave, heroic, heroes

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, plural of śūra

śūra - brave, valorous, hero

Note: Predicate adjective for dvijātayaḥ.

द्विजातयः (dvijātayaḥ) - Brahmins (dvijātayaḥ) (the twice-born)

(noun)

Nominative, masculine, plural of dvijāti

dvijāti - twice-born (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya); bird; tooth; snake

Compound dvi- (two) + jāti (birth)

Compound type : bahuvrīhi (dvi+jāti)

• dvi – two
  numeral
• jāti – birth, origin, species, caste
  noun (feminine)
  from √jan
  Root: jan (class 4)

Note: Subject.

धनुषा (dhanuṣā) - by a bow, with a bow

(noun)

Instrumental, neuter, singular of dhanus

dhanus - bow

फल्गुनः (phalgunaḥ) - Phalguna (Arjuna)

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of phalguna

phalguna - Arjuna

Note: Subject.

शूरः (śūraḥ) - brave, heroic, hero

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śūra

śūra - brave, valorous, hero

Note: Predicate adjective for phalgunaḥ.

कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa

(proper noun)

Nominative, masculine, singular of karṇa

karṇa - Karṇa (proper name); ear

Note: Subject.

शूरः (śūraḥ) - brave, heroic, hero

(adjective)

Nominative, masculine, singular of śūra

śūra - brave, valorous, hero

Note: Predicate adjective for karṇaḥ.

मनोरथैः (manorathaiḥ) - by desires, by aspirations, by mental wishes

(noun)

Instrumental, masculine, plural of manoratha

manoratha - desire, wish, intention

Compound manas (mind) + ratha (chariot/delight)

Compound type : ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa or karmadhāraya (manas+ratha)

• manas – mind, intellect, thought
  noun (neuter)
  Root: man (class 4)
• ratha – chariot, pleasure, desire
  noun (masculine)
  from √ram
  Root: ram (class 1)

Note: The contrast implies Karna's bravery is only in his mind, not in action.