Shloka 17

Devanagari script

त्रिदशेशद्विषो यावत्‌ क्षयमस्त्रैर्नयाम्यहम्‌ न कथज्वचिद्धि मे पापा न वध्या ये सुरद्विष:,“जिससे देवराजके द्रोहियोंको मैं अपने अस्त्रोंद्वारा नष्ट कर डालूँ। जो देवताओंसे द्वेष रखते हैं, उन पापियोंको मैं किसी प्रकार मारे बिना नहीं छोड़ सकता”

Transliteration

tridaśeśa-dviṣo yāvat kṣayam astrair nayāmy aham | na kathañcid dhi me pāpā na vadhyā ye sura-dviṣaḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “I will, with my weapons, drive the enemies of the Lord of the gods to their destruction. Those sinners who bear hatred toward the gods I cannot leave unpunished in any way; I cannot let them go without slaying them.”

Word by Word

त्रिदशेश-द्विषःhaters/enemies of the lord of the gods (Indra)

यावत्until, as long as

क्षयम्destruction, end

अस्त्रैःwith weapons

नयामिI lead/bring (to)

अहम्I

नnot

कथञ्चित्in any way, by any means

हिindeed, for

मेof me, my

पापाःsinful (ones)

नnot

वध्याःto be slain / slayable

येwho, those who

सुर-द्विषःhaters of the gods

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Indra (lord of the gods)

the gods (suras)

weapons (astras)

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?

Arjuna frames violent action as a duty-bound, morally charged response against those who oppose the divine order: a kshatriya’s resolve to punish aggressors is presented as protection of dharma when directed against ‘haters of the gods’ (sura-dviṣaḥ).

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna declares his determination to use his celestial weapons to bring about the destruction of Indra’s enemies, insisting that he will not allow the god-hating wrongdoers to escape without being slain.