Shloka 8

जनकस्य युद्धोपदेशः — Janaka’s Instruction on Steadfast Battle-Conduct

Devanagari script

अजयन्त रणे शत्रून्‌ हर्षयन्तो नरेश्वरम्‌ । तस्मादात्मवता नित्यं स्थातव्यं रणमूर्धनि,'शूरवीरोंको जो सर्वोत्तम स्वर्गलोकका द्वार प्राप्त होता है, उसमें उनका त्याग ही मूल कारण है'। शत्रुनगरीपर विजय पानेवाले युधिष्ठिर![ राजा जनकके ऐसा कहनेपर उन योद्धाओंने रणभूमिमें अपने महाराजका हर्ष बढ़ाते हुए उनके शत्रुओंपर विजय प्राप्त कर ली; अतः मनस्वी वीरको सदा युद्धके मुहानेपर डटे रहना चाहिये

Transliteration

ajayanta raṇe śatrūn harṣayanto nareśvaram | tasmād ātmavatā nityaṃ sthātavyaṃ raṇamūrdhani ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Sie besiegten die Feinde in der Schlacht und erfreuten ihren König. Darum soll ein selbstbeherrschter und entschlossener Mann stets standhaft an der vordersten Front des Kampfes stehen.“

Word by Word

अजयन्तthey conquered

रणेin battle

शत्रून्enemies

हर्षयन्तःgladdening, delighting

नरेश्वरम्the king (lord of men)

तस्मात्therefore, from that (reason)

आत्मवताby/with the self-controlled (man)

नित्यम्always

स्थातव्यम्one must stand; it is to be stood (firm)

रणमूर्धनिat the forefront/crown of battle

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

nareśvara (the king)

śatru (enemies)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Victory and honor in a righteous struggle arise from disciplined self-control and unwavering resolve; a warrior who is ātmavat (self-possessed) should not waver but remain firm at the battle’s forefront in fulfillment of duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma recalls warriors who, by fighting steadfastly, defeated the enemy and increased their king’s joy; he draws a general lesson from this example, urging constant firmness at the critical front line of battle.