Shloka 3

Devanagari script

शुचा परमया युक्तश्चिन्तयान: पराजयम्‌ | वार्ष्णेयमब्रवीद्‌ राजन्‌ दृष्टवा भीष्मस्य विक्रमम्‌

Transliteration

śucā paramayā yuktaś cintayānaḥ parājayam | vārṣṇeyam abravīd rājan dṛṣṭvā bhīṣmasya vikramam ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O König, von tiefem Kummer ergriffen und über die Niederlage sinnend, wandte er sich, nachdem er Bhīṣmas gewaltige Tapferkeit gesehen hatte, an Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa).

Word by Word

• शुचा: with grief/sorrow
• शुचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुच् (स्त्री. प्रातिपदिक: शुच्/शुचा)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• परमया: supreme, intense
• परमया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्तः: endowed/possessed (with)
• युक्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: युक्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चिन्तयन्: thinking, pondering
• चिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: Present (participle), Singular, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Nominative

• पराजयम्: defeat
• पराजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वार्ष्णेयम्: to the Vārṣṇeya (Krishna)
• वार्ष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्ष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा)

• भीष्मस्य: of Bhīṣma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विक्रमम्: valor, prowess
• विक्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kṛṣṇa (Vārṣṇeya)
• Bhīṣma

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a psychological and ethical turning point: confronting formidable power (Bhīṣma’s prowess) can trigger grief and fear of defeat, prompting one to seek counsel. It suggests that in moments of moral and strategic crisis, turning to wise guidance is essential before action in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, after seeing Bhīṣma’s extraordinary might on the battlefield, the warrior (contextually Arjuna) becomes deeply sorrowful and anxious about defeat and then speaks to Kṛṣṇa (Vārṣṇeya), his charioteer and counselor.