Shloka 67

Devanagari script

प्राह वाक्यमसम्भ्रान्त: सूतपुत्र॑ विशाम्पते । तिछ्लेदानीं क्व मे जीवन सूतपुत्र गमिष्यसि

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

prāha vākyam asambhrāntaḥ sūtaputra viśāmpate |

tiṣṭhedānīṃ kva me jīvan sūtaputra gamiṣyasi ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Unerschüttert wandte sich der Herr der Menschen an den Sohn des Wagenlenkers: „Steh jetzt! Solange ich lebe, wohin willst du gehen? O Sohn eines Sūta, wohin meinst du entkommen zu können?“

Word by Word

प्राहsaid/spoke

वाक्यम्words; a statement

असम्भ्रान्तःunagitated; unconfused

सूतपुत्रO son of a charioteer

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people

तिष्ठstand; stop

इदानीम्now

क्वwhere?

मेmy; of me

जीवनम्life; living

सूतपुत्रO son of a charioteer

गमिष्यसिyou will go

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

sūtaputra (epithet; commonly Karṇa in Mahābhārata usage)

viśāmpati (a king/lord of men; unnamed in this verse)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a moment of danger, the verse highlights the ethical demand of steadfastness—especially the expectation that a warrior or ally should not abandon his leader. It frames loyalty and duty (svadharma) as decisive virtues amid the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a king or commander, remaining composed, addresses the ‘sūtaputra’ and challenges him to stay rather than depart. The speaker’s words suggest a tense battlefield situation where withdrawal would be seen as desertion or a breach of obligation.