Shloka 356

Devanagari script

क्षत्रधर्ममवेक्षस्व श्लाघ्यस्तव वधो जयात्‌ । “अपनी उस प्रतिज्ञाको पूर्ण करो। उन सबके साथ सत्यवादी बनो। ये तुम्हारे शत्रु पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुन निर्भय होकर सामने खड़े हैं। क्षत्रियरर्मकी ओर दृष्टिपात करो। युद्धमें विजयकी अपेक्षा अर्जुनके हाथसे तुम्हारा वध भी हो जाय तो वह तुम्हारे लिये प्रशंसाकी बात होगी

Transliteration

kṣatradharmam avekṣasva ślāghyas tava vadho jayāt |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Blicke auf das Dharma eines Kṣatriya. Selbst wenn dir statt des Sieges im Kampf der Tod durch die Hand deines Gegners beschieden ist, wäre ein solcher Tod des Lobes würdig.“

Word by Word

क्षत्रधर्मम्the duty of a kshatriya

अवेक्षस्वlook to / consider

श्लाघ्यःpraiseworthy

तवof you / your

वधःkilling / death (slaying)

जयात्than victory / from victory

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

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?

The verse elevates kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior should prioritize righteous duty and honor over mere success. If one falls while upholding the warrior code, that death can be more commendable than victory gained otherwise.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports counsel given in the war context, urging a combatant to keep the warrior’s duty in view and to accept even death in battle as honorable when it follows kṣatriya-dharma.