Shloka 30

Omens and Consolation after Loss; Reaffirmation of the Saindhava Punishment Vow (उत्पात-दर्शनम्, आश्वासन-वाक्यानि, प्रतिज्ञा-स्थैर्यम्)

Devanagari script

नाहं हन्यां प्रजा देव स्वस्थाशक्षाक्रोशतीस्तथा । एतदिच्छामि सर्वेश त्वत्तो वरमहं प्रभो,“देव! प्रभो! सर्वेश्वर! मैं आपसे यही वर पाना चाहती हूँ कि मुझे रोती-चिल्लाती हुई स्वस्थ प्रजाओंका वध न करना पड़े

Transliteration

nāhaṃ hanyāṃ prajā deva svasthāś cakrōśatīs tathā | etad icchāmi sarveśa tvatto varam ahaṃ prabho ||

Translation

Nārada said: “O Deva—O Lord, O Sovereign of all—I would not slay living beings, especially those who are unharmed and crying out in distress. This is the boon I seek from you: grant that I may not be compelled to kill such innocent, terrified subjects.”

Word by Word

नnot

अहम्I

हन्याम्would kill / should kill

प्रजाःsubjects, people

देवO god

स्वस्थाःhealthy, unharmed

अशक्यunable (to be borne/controlled)

आक्रोशतीःcrying out, wailing

तथाthus, in that manner

एतत्this (boon/thing)

इच्छामिI desire

सर्वेशO lord of all

त्वत्तःfrom you

वरम्a boon

अहम्I

प्रभोO lord

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

Nārada

Deva (addressed deity)

Sarveśa (Lord of all)

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 amid power, duty, or divine command, dharma prioritizes compassion: one should not harm innocent, unharmed beings who plead in fear. The verse frames ethical restraint as a boon worth seeking—self-limitation in violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada addresses a supreme deity, requesting a specific boon: that he not be made to kill prajā—living beings/subjects—particularly those who are healthy and crying out. The speech emphasizes moral hesitation and the desire for protection of innocents.