Shloka 24

Devanagari script

मा कार्षी: कश्मलं शक्र कश्चिदेवेतरो यथा । आर्या युद्धे मतिं कृत्वा जहि शत्रून्‌ सुराधिप,इन्द्र! किसी साधारण मनुष्यके समान तुम कायरता न प्रकट करो। सुरेश्वर! युद्धके लिये श्रेष्ठ बुद्धिका सहारा लेकर अपने शत्रुओंका संहार करो

Transliteration

mā kārṣīḥ kaśmalaṁ śakra kaścid evetaro yathā | āryā yuddhe matiṁ kṛtvā jahi śatrūn surādhipa ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha sprach: „O Śakra, verfalle nicht in Mutlosigkeit und feige Herzensschwäche wie irgendein gewöhnlicher Mensch. O Herr der Götter, fasse einen edlen Entschluss zum Kampf und erschlage deine Feinde.“

Word by Word

माdo not

कार्षीःyou should do / do (in prohibition: do not do)

कश्मलम्faint-heartedness, cowardice, confusion

शक्रO Śakra (Indra)

कश्चित्someone, any person

एवindeed, just

इतरःother, ordinary (one)

यथाas, like

आर्याःnoble ones

युद्धेin battle

मतिम्intention, resolve, understanding

कृत्वाhaving made (having resolved)

जहिslay

शत्रून्enemies

सुराधिपO lord of the gods

इन्द्रO Indra

Speaker

वसिष्ठ उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vasiṣṭha

Śakra (Indra)

Indra

enemies (śatravaḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A leader must not succumb to kaśmala—paralyzing dejection or cowardly confusion. One should adopt āryā mati, a noble and duty-aligned resolve, and act decisively against threats.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vasiṣṭha addresses Indra (Śakra), urging him not to behave like an ordinary, fearful person. He exhorts Indra, as lord of the gods, to steady his mind for battle and defeat his enemies.