Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तदुग्रमतिरौद्रं च दृष्टवा युद्ध नराधिप

Transliteration

tad ugramatiraudraṃ ca dṛṣṭvā yuddha narādhipa

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O König, als du jene Schlacht erblicktest — wild im Vorsatz und schrecklich in ihrer Gewalt — (wurden die Krieger erschüttert), denn ein solcher Anblick zeigt, wie rasch im Krieg Zorn und Entschlossenheit Selbstbeherrschung und Dharma verdunkeln können.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• उग्रम्: fierce
• उग्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अति: exceedingly/very
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति

• रौद्रम्: terrible, wrathful
• रौद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

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

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• narādhipa (the king, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• yuddha (the battle/war)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical danger of war: when minds become 'ugra' (fierce) and actions 'raudra' (wrathful), discernment and dharma are easily overwhelmed, reminding rulers to recognize how violence reshapes intention and judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya addresses the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), describing the battle as intensely fierce and terrifying, setting the emotional and moral tone for the unfolding events on the battlefield.