Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.113.5 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 113, Shloka 5

Adhyāya 113: Karṇa–Bhīma Śaravarṣa and the Battlefield Aftermath (कर्णभीमशरवर्षः)

Devanagari script

न मे धनंजयस्यार्थे प्राणा रक्ष्या: कथंचन । त्वत्प्रयुक्तः पुनरहं कि न कुर्या महाहवे

Transliteration

na me dhanañjayasya arthe prāṇā rakṣyāḥ kathaṃcana | tvatprayuktaḥ punar ahaṃ kiṃ na kuryā mahāhave ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Um Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) willen kümmere ich mich in keiner Weise darum, mein eigenes Leben zu bewahren. Und wenn mich dein Befehl in Bewegung setzt, o König, was könnte ich in dieser großen Schlacht nicht vollbringen?“

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Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मे: of me / my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• धनंजयस्य: of Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अर्थे: for the sake/purpose (in the matter) of
• अर्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्राणाः: life-breaths / life
• प्राणाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रक्ष्याः: to be protected / need not be protected (here with negation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Gerundive (future passive participle), obligation/necessity

• कथंचन: in any way / at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन

• त्वत्-प्रयुक्तः: impelled/commissioned by you
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वत् + प्रयुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle of प्र-युज्

• पुनः: again / moreover
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• कुर्याम्: might I do / could I do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Optative (Vidhi-lin), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a warrior-ethic of self-sacrifice and unwavering commitment: one should not cling to personal safety when acting for a righteous cause or for the welfare of a valued ally, especially when duty is reinforced by legitimate command.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya declares to the king that, for Arjuna’s benefit, he will not worry about his own life; and that, once ordered and dispatched by the king, he is ready to undertake any perilous task amid the great battle.