Shloka 26

Devanagari script

योत्स्याम्येनं शल्य धनंजयं वै मृत्युं पुरस्कृत्य रणे जयं वा

Transliteration

yotsyāmy enaṃ śalya dhanañjayaṃ vai mṛtyuṃ puraskṛtya raṇe jayaṃ vā

Translation

قال سانجيا: «سأقاتله—دهننجايا—يا شاليا، في ساحة الحرب، وقد جعلتُ الموت أمامي؛ وإلا فإني سأظفر بالنصر.»

Word by Word

• योत्स्यामि: I shall fight
• योत्स्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic Future), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शल्य: O Śalya
• शल्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धनंजयम्: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front; keeping in view
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/ktvā-type), Parasmaipada (usage)

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जयम्: victory
• जयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• mṛtyu (death)
• raṇa (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse expresses the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast resolve: one enters battle accepting death as a possible and even foremost outcome, yet still aiming at righteous victory—acting without retreat when duty demands.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa Parva war setting, a warrior’s determination to confront Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) is reported by Sañjaya, addressing Śalya, emphasizing a do-or-die commitment: either death will come first, or victory will be secured.