Shloka 11

Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

भवानुशनसा तुल्यो हितैषी च सदा मम । असंहार्य: स्थितो धर्मे स न: सेनापतिर्भव,“आप सदा मेरा हित चाहनेवाले तथा नीतिमें शुक्राचार्यके समान हैं। आपको आपकी इच्छाके बिना कोई मार नहीं सकता। आप सदा धर्ममें ही स्थित रहते हैं, अतः हमारे प्रधान सेनापति हो जाइये

Transliteration

bhavān uśanasā tulyo hitaiṣī ca sadā mama | asaṃhāryaḥ sthito dharme sa naḥ senāpatir bhava ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Du bist stets mein Wohlwollender, und in Fragen der Staatskunst bist du Uśanas (Śukrācārya) ebenbürtig. Niemand vermag dich gegen deinen Willen zu töten. Fest im Dharma stehend, werde darum unser Oberbefehlshaber.“

Word by Word

भवान्you (honorific)

उशनसाwith/like Uśanas (Śukra)

तुल्यःequal, comparable

हितैषीwell-wisher

चand

सदाalways

ममof me, my

असंहार्यःinvincible, not to be slain/destroyed

स्थितःstanding, abiding

धर्मेin dharma, in righteousness

सःhe/that (i.e., you)

नःof us, our

सेनापतिःcommander of the army

भवbe (become)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Uśanas (Śukrācārya)

senāpati (commander-in-chief)

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?

The verse links legitimate military authority with ethical steadiness: the ideal commander is a proven well-wisher, skilled in nīti (practical wisdom), and firmly established in dharma, so that power is exercised as protection and right order rather than mere force.

What is happening in the narrative?

A leader (as reported by Vaiśampāyana) urges a respected figure to accept the role of commander-in-chief, praising his benevolence, his strategic wisdom comparable to Uśanas (Śukra), and his inviolability—implying both spiritual stature and reliability for guiding the army in the coming conflict.