Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तरसा ये न शक्यन्ते शस्त्रै: सुनिशितैरपि । साम्ना ते5पि निगृहान्ते गजा इव करेणुभि:,जो लोग बलपूर्वक तीखे शस्त्रोंसे भी वशमें नहीं किये जा सकते, उन्हें भी मीठी वाणीद्वारा बंदी बना लिया जाता है। जैसे हथिनियोंकी सहायतासे हाथी कैद कर लिये जाते हैं

Transliteration

tarasā ye na śakyante śastraiḥ suniśitair api | sāmnā te 'pi nigṛhyante gajā iva kareṇubhiḥ ||

Translation

Brahmadatta said: “Those who cannot be subdued by sheer force—even with keenly sharpened weapons—can still be restrained by conciliation and gentle speech; just as mighty elephants are captured with the help of she-elephants.”

Word by Word

तरसाby force, with violence

येwho (those who)

नnot

शक्यन्तेare able to be (controlled/overpowered)

शस्त्रैःby weapons

सुनिशितैःvery sharp

अपिeven, also

साम्नाby conciliation, by gentle speech

तेthey (those)

अपिalso, even

निगृह्यन्तेare restrained, are subdued

गजाःelephants

इवlike, as

करेणुभिःby she-elephants

Speaker

ब्रह्मदत्त उवाच

Characters & Entities

Brahmadatta

śastra (weapons)

gaja (elephant)

kareṇu (she-elephant)

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?

Persuasion and conciliatory speech (sāman) can achieve restraint and compliance where brute force and weapons fail; ethical leadership prioritizes nonviolent means when effective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Brahmadatta is instructing on practical and moral policy: some opponents or unruly persons cannot be controlled by punishment or violence, but can be brought under control through diplomacy and gentle words, illustrated by the example of capturing elephants using female elephants.