Shloka 11

Śārṅgakānāṃ Avināśaḥ (Why the Śārṅga Birds Were Spared) | शार्ङ्गकानामविनाशः

Devanagari script

यदि निर्जित्य व: पार्थों बलाद्‌ गच्छेत्‌ स्वकं पुरम्‌

Transliteration

yadi nirjitya vaḥ pārtho balād gacchet svakaṃ puram

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “If Pārtha, having subdued you, were to go by force to his own city…”

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि

• निर्जित्य: having conquered/defeated
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्जि (धातु: जि) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वा (ल्यप्), active (कर्तरि प्रयोग), absolutive (having ...-ed)

• वः: you (pl.) / of you
• वः: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: common, accusative/genitive, plural

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• बलात्: by force
• बलात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: neuter, ablative, singular

• गच्छेत्: should go / might go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), present-system, 3rd, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• स्वकम्: his own
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• svakaṃ puram (his own city)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the ethical tension between rightful authority and coercive power: even when one has the strength to subdue others, acting “by force” raises questions of dharma in political conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana frames a conditional scenario: if Pārtha (Arjuna) were to defeat “you” and then proceed forcibly to his own city, implying a developing conflict and its possible political consequences.