Shloka 12
Devanagari script
अश्वत्थाम्नि हते नैष युध्येदिति मतिर्मम
Transliteration
aśvatthāmni hate naiṣa yudhyed iti matir mama
Translation
قال سانجيا: «إذا قُتل أشفاتثامان، فبحسبي أنّ هذا الرجل لن يقاتل بعد ذلك».
Word by Word
अश्वत्थाम्निin/when (it is) Ashvatthaman
अश्वत्थाम्नि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्वत्थामन्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
हतेwhen slain / upon being killed
हते:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
एषःthis (man)
एषः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
युध्येतshould fight
युध्येत:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormVidhi-linga (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
इतिthus / that
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
मतिःthought, intention
मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ममof me / my
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)अ
अश्वत्थामन् (Aśvatthāman)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a warrior’s resolve can hinge on a single moral-emotional trigger—here, the death of Aśvatthāman—showing that warfare is shaped not only by strength but by inner conviction, attachment, and ethical shock.
Sañjaya reports his assessment to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: if Aśvatthāman is killed, then the person under discussion (contextually, a key combatant whose will depends on Aśvatthāman) will cease fighting. It frames a turning point driven by news of Aśvatthāman’s death.