Shloka 4

Devanagari script

नूनं शूरं निपतितं त्वां पश्यन्त्यनिवर्तिनम्‌ । सुशिरोग्रीवबाद्वंसं व्यूढोरस्क॑ नतोदरम्‌,“बेटा! तुम शूरवीर थे। युद्धसे कभी पीछे पैर नहीं हटाते थे। मस्तक, ग्रीवा, बाहु और कंधे आदि तुम्हारे सभी अंग सुन्दर थे, छाती चौड़ी थी, उदर एवं नाभिदेश नीचा था, समस्त अंग मनोहर और हृष्ट-पुष्ट थे। सम्पूर्ण इन्द्रियाँ विशेषतः नेत्र बड़े सुन्दर थे तथा तुम्हारे सारे अंग शस्त्रजनित आघातसे व्याप्त थे। इस दशामें तुम धरतीपर पड़े होगे और निश्चय ही समस्त प्राणी उदय होते हुए चन्द्रमाके समान तुम्हें देख रहे होंगे

Transliteration

nūnaṃ śūraṃ nipatitaṃ tvāṃ paśyanty anivartinam | suśirogrīvabāhvaṃsaṃ vyūḍhoraskaṃ natodaram ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Surely they now behold you fallen—though you were one who never turned back from battle. Your head and neck were well-formed; your arms and shoulders strong and handsome; your chest broad and expanded, your belly firm and slightly drawn in. Such a steadfast warrior now lies brought down upon the earth.”

Word by Word

नूनम्surely, indeed

शूरम्the hero/brave one

निपतितम्fallen down

त्वाम्you

पश्यन्तिthey see

अनिवर्तिनम्not turning back, unretreating

सुशिरःhaving a fine head

ग्रीवneck

बाहुarm

अद्वंसम्unbroken, not shattered

व्यूढbroad, expanded

उरस्कम्chest

नतlow, depressed

उदरम्belly/abdomen

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

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 underscores the tragic irony of war: even the steadfast, idealized warrior-body—symbol of kṣatriya valor—can be brought low. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of violence and the impermanence of worldly strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events, evokes how people are seeing a once-unyielding hero now fallen on the battlefield, describing his noble physique to heighten the sense of loss and the grim reality of combat.