Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ततो<5थ वचन स्मृत्वा भ्रातुर्ज्येष्लस्थ भारत । न हन्तव्या रणे तात क्षत्रिया विजिगीषव:,“मनमें युद्धका हौसला लेकर खड़े रहो। मैं तुम्हारा घमण्ड चूर किये देता हूँ। भारत! गाण्डीवधारी कुरुनन्दन अर्जुन शत्रुओंसे ऐसा वचन कहकर अपने बड़े भाईकी कही हुई बातें याद करने लगे। महात्मा धर्मराजने कहा था कि “तात! रणभूमिमें विजयकी इच्छा रखनेवाले क्षत्रियोंका वध न करना। साथ ही उन्हें पराजित भी करना।” इस बातको याद करके पुरुषप्रवर अर्जुन इस प्रकार चिन्ता करने लगे

Transliteration

tato 'tha vacanaṃ smṛtvā bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya bhārata | na hantavyā raṇe tāta kṣatriyā vijigīṣavaḥ ||

Translation

Then, O Bhārata, recalling the words of his eldest brother, Arjuna reflected: “Dear one, in battle the kṣatriyas who seek victory are not to be slain.” Remembering this counsel, he weighed how to uphold righteous restraint even amid the demands of war and conquest.

Word by Word

ततःthen/from there

अथthen/now

वचनम्speech/statement

स्मृत्वाhaving remembered

भ्रातुःof (his) brother

ज्येष्ठस्यof the eldest

भारतO Bharata

नnot

हन्तव्याःshould be killed

रणेin battle

तातO dear/son

क्षत्रियाःKshatriyas/warriors

विजिगीषवःdesirous of victory

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Bhārata (addressee, traditionally Janamejaya)

Arjuna

Yudhiṣṭhira (eldest brother, implied by jyeṣṭha-bhrātṛ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma can require restraint: those kṣatriyas who are merely striving for victory are not to be slain, implying a preference for subduing or defeating without unnecessary killing, in obedience to righteous counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Arjuna, after addressing opponents and recalling his elder brother’s instruction, pauses to reflect on how to act in a way that secures victory while avoiding wrongful slaughter.