Shloka 23

Śaineya’s Breakthrough and Reunion with Arjuna (शैनेयस्य समागमः)

Devanagari script

असत्कारभृतस्तात मम सैन्ये न विद्यते । कर्मणा हानुरूपेण लभ्यते भक्तवेतनम्‌,तात! मेरी सेनामें कोई भी ऐसा नहीं है, जिसे अनादरपूर्वक रखा गया हो। सबको उनके कार्यके अनुरूप ही भोजन और वेतन प्राप्त होता है

Transliteration

asatkārabhṛtas tāta mama sainye na vidyate | karmaṇā hānurūpeṇa labhyate bhaktavetanam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Dear one, in my army there is no man who is kept in service with disrespect. Each receives his rations and pay in proportion to his work.”

Word by Word

असत्कारभृतःone maintained with disrespect / ill-treated dependent

तातdear (son)/dear one

ममof me / my

सैन्येin the army

नnot

विद्यतेexists / is found

कर्मणाby work / through deeds

हानु-रूपेणin accordance with (one's) effort/merit (lit. according to the measure of exertion)

लभ्यतेis obtained / is received

भक्त-वेतनम्food and wages

तातdear one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

the (Kaurava) army (sainya)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in wartime organization, ethical leadership requires honoring dependents and ensuring fair rations and wages proportionate to service; disrespectful maintenance of subordinates is presented as improper.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, reporting events and attitudes within the Kaurava camp, asserts that no soldier in their army is kept in a state of dishonor; provisions and pay are distributed according to each person’s work.