Shloka 79

Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)

Devanagari script

गाड़ेयो धन्विनां श्रेष्ठो युद्धोदानीं सुनिर्भय: । कुरु कर्म रणे यत्त: पश्याम: पौरुषं तव

Transliteration

gāḍeyaḥ dhanvināṃ śreṣṭho yuddhodānīṃ sunirbhayaḥ | kuru karma raṇe yattaḥ paśyāmaḥ pauruṣaṃ tava ||

Translation

গঙ্গাপুত্র গাঙ্গেয়, ধনুর্ধারীদের শ্রেষ্ঠ, এখন যুদ্ধে সম্পূর্ণ নির্ভয়ে প্রবৃত্ত হও। রণে যত্নসহকারে কর্তব্য করো; আমরা তোমার পৌরুষ দেখব।

Word by Word

• गाङ्गेयः: the son of Ganga (Bhishma)
• गाङ्गेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाङ्गेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धन्विनाम्: of archers
• धन्विनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठः: the best
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम्

• सुनिर्भयः: very fearless
• सुनिर्भयः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुनिर्भय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुरु: do (perform)
• कुरु: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्म: deed, action
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• यत्तः: striving, intent
• यत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, past passive participle (kta) used adjectivally: 'yatta' = exerted/striving

• पश्यामः: we see / we shall witness
• पश्यामः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: Present, First, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पौरुषम्: manliness, valor
• पौरुषम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरुष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Gāḍeya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges a warrior to act without fear and to perform one’s appointed duty in battle with full effort, emphasizing courage and committed action rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya delivers a direct exhortation to a named archer (Gāḍeya), commanding him to enter the fight confidently and demonstrate his valor on the battlefield.