Shloka 163

Devanagari script

एवं कुर्यान्नरो यो हि स वै संजय पूजित: । “संजय! जो अपने तेजसे तप रहा हो

Transliteration

evaṁ kuryān naro yo hi sa vai saṁjaya pūjitaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „O Sañjaya, nur wer so handelt, ist wahrhaft ehrenwürdig. Denn wenn der Feind von Kraftglut brennt, von königlichem Glück begleitet wird und inmitten seiner Verwandten und Bundesgenossen steht, vermag nur der wahrhaft Tapfere, ihm nach der Vorschrift zu begegnen. Welche Größe liegt darin, auf einen einzuschlagen, der schon tot ist?“

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• कुर्यात्: should do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Vidhi-linga, optative (potential), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• पूजितः: honored, revered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular, past passive participle (kta), पूज्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

True honor in battle lies in confronting a formidable, fully capable opponent—one supported by power, fortune, and allies—rather than seeking glory by striking someone already defeated; valor is measured by fairness and courage, not by easy violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya comments on proper warrior conduct, praising the man who follows the stated code of engagement against a strong enemy and dismissing as meaningless any boast of attacking one who is already as good as dead.