Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अकृतार्थश्न भीतश्न न च सान्नाहिको हतः । अयज्वा त्वनपत्यश्व ततोडसौ जीवित: पुन:,सूंजयका पुत्र कवच बाँधकर युद्धमें लड़ता हुआ नहीं मारा गया था। उसे अकृतार्थ और भयभीत अवस्थामें अपने प्राणोंका त्याग करना पड़ा था। वह यज्ञकर्मसे रहित और संतानहीन भी था। इसलिये नारदजीने पुनः उसे जीवित कर दिया था

Transliteration

akṛtārthaś ca bhītaś ca na ca sānnāhiko hataḥ | ayajvā tv anapatyaś ca tato 'sau jīvitaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

Vyāsa said: “He did not fall in battle while properly armed and engaged; rather, he met his end in a state of failure and fear. He had also not performed sacrificial rites and was without offspring. Therefore, Nārada restored him to life again.”

Word by Word

अकृतार्थःunsuccessful; one whose purpose was not achieved

भीतःafraid

चand

सान्नाहिकःone in armor; an armed/armored warrior

नnot

हतःwas killed

अयज्वाone who has not performed sacrifices

तुbut

अनपत्यःchildless

चand

ततःtherefore; then

असौthat man (he)

जीवितःwas made to live; was revived

पुनःagain

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

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?

The verse contrasts an honorable, duty-fulfilled death in battle (armed and steadfast) with a death marked by fear and unfulfilled purpose, and it also reflects the epic’s view that ritual responsibility (yajña) and continuity of lineage (offspring) are ethically significant factors shaping one’s fate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa explains that a certain person was not killed while properly armored in combat; instead he died in fear and without having achieved his aim. Because he was also described as lacking sacrificial merit and offspring, he was subsequently brought back to life again.