Shloka 416

Devanagari script

तया धृत्या सूतपुत्रं जहि त्व- महं चैनं गदया पोथयिष्ये । “किरीटथधारी पार्थ! तुम क्‍यों इसकी उपेक्षा करते हो? आज यहाँ यह उपेक्षा करनेका समय नहीं है। तुमने जिस धैर्यसे खाण्डववनमें अग्निदेवको ग्रास समर्पित करते हुए समस्त प्राणियोंपर विजय पायी थी, उसी धीर्यके द्वारा सूतपुत्रको मार डालो। फिर मैं भी इसे अपनी गदासे कुचल डालूँगा'

Transliteration

tayā dhṛtyā sūtaputraṃ jahi tvaṃ, ahaṃ cainaṃ gadayā pothayiṣye |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “With that same steadfast resolve, strike down the charioteer’s son. As for me, I shall crush him with my mace.”

Word by Word

तयाby that

धृत्याby steadfastness/fortitude

सूतपुत्रम्the charioteer’s son (Karna)

जहिslay (you)

त्वम्you

अहम्I

चand

एनम्him/this one

गदयाwith a mace

पोथयिष्येI will crush/pound

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sūtaputra (Karṇa)

Gadā (mace)

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 emphasizes dhṛti—steadfast resolve—as a decisive virtue in righteous warfare: one should not waver or ‘overlook’ a critical duty when the moment for action has arrived.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an exhortation on the battlefield urging Arjuna to slay Karṇa (called ‘sūtaputra’), adding that the speaker will then crush him with a mace—highlighting the urgency and intensity of the combat situation.