Shloka 24

Devanagari script

सात्वतेनैवमाक्षिप्त: पार्षत: परुषाक्षरम्‌

Transliteration

sātvatenaivam ākṣiptaḥ pārṣataḥ paruṣākṣaram

Translation

قال سانجيا: هكذا، وقد استفزَّه الساتڤتا، أجاب ابنُ بارشَتا بكلماتٍ قاسية—مُظهِرًا كيف أنّ ضغوطَ الحرب قد تُخرِج حتى العظماء من رباطة الجأش إلى قولٍ جارحٍ قاطع.

Word by Word

• सात्वतेन: by the Sātvata (Kṛṣṇa)
• सात्वतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• आक्षिप्तः: rebuked/taunted (having been addressed harshly)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-क्षिप्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• पार्षतः: the son of Pṛṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परुषाक्षरम्: harsh word(s)
• परुषाक्षरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुषाक्षर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātvata (Kṛṣṇa)
• Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical danger of harsh speech: provocation in a charged setting like war can push even capable leaders into verbal aggression, which further inflames conflict and weakens self-restraint (dama) expected in dharmic conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that after being challenged/taunted by Kṛṣṇa (the Sātvata), Dhṛṣṭadyumna (the Pārṣata) responds with severe, cutting words—signaling a tense exchange among the Pāṇḍava side during the Drona-parvan events.