Shloka 15
Devanagari script
वध्यतां च तथा तेषां क्षतानां च विशेषत:ः
Transliteration
vadhyatāṃ ca tathā teṣāṃ kṣatānāṃ ca viśeṣataḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: “Let them be slain—and in particular, those among them who are already wounded.”
Word by Word
वध्यताम्let (them) be slain
वध्यताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
Formलोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि (Passive), 3rd, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
तथाthus; likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
तेषाम्of them
तेषाम्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
क्षतानाम्of the wounded
क्षतानाम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षत
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
विशेषतःespecially; in particular
विशेषतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविशेषतः
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaCharacter 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
The verse highlights the moral tension of warfare: strategic thinking can push combatants toward actions that intensify harm—here, prioritizing the killing of the already wounded—raising questions about dharma, proportionality, and compassion under extreme conditions.
In Sañjaya’s battlefield report, a command or resolve is voiced to continue the slaughter, with special focus on finishing off those who are already injured, indicating escalating ferocity and a drive to secure advantage by eliminating weakened opponents.