Shloka 5

Uttarā-Pratigrahaṇa and Abhimanyu–Uttarā Vivāha

Virāṭa-parva, Adhyāya 67

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच अनाथान्‌ दुःखितान्‌ दीनान्‌ कृशान्‌ वृद्धान्‌ पराजितान्‌ | न्यस्तशस्त्रान्‌ निराशांश्व नाहं हन्मि कृताञज्जलीन्‌ ।।) स्वस्ति व्रजत वो भद्गरे न भेतव्यं कथंचन । नाहमार्तान्‌ जिघांसामि भृशमाश्वासयामि व:,क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ता विदेशस्था विचेतस: । जब कौरव-दलके लोग चले गये या इधर-उधर सब दिशाओंमें भाग गये, उस समय बहुत-से कौरवसैनिक जो घने जंगलमें छिपे हुए थे, वहाँसे निकलकर डरते-डरते अर्जुनके पास आये। उनके मनमें भय समा गया था। वे भूखे-प्यासे और थके-माँदे थे। परदेशमें होनेके कारण उनके हृदयकी व्याकुलता और बढ़ गयी थी। वे उस समय केश खोले और हाथ जोड़े हुए खड़े दिखायी दिये अर्जुनने कहा--सैनिको! जो लोग अनाथ, दु:खी, दीन, दुर्बल, वृद्ध, पराजित, अस्त्र- शस्त्रोंको नीचे डाल देनेवाले, प्राणोंसे निराश एवं हाथ जोड़कर शरणागत होते हैं, उन सबको मैं नहीं मारता हूँ। तुम्हारा भला हो। तुम कुशलपूर्वक घर लौट जाओ। तुम्हें मेरी ओरसे किसी प्रकारका भय नहीं होना चाहिये। मैं संकटमें पड़े हुए मनुष्योंको नहीं मारना चाहता। इस बातके लिये मैं तुम्हें पूरा-पूरा विश्वास दिलाता हूँ

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca—anāthān duḥkhitān dīnān kṛśān vṛddhān parājitān | nyastaśastrān nirāśāṁś ca nāhaṁ hanmi kṛtāñjalīn || svasti vrajata vo bhadre na bhetavyaṁ kathaṁcana | nāham ārtān jighāṁsāmi bhṛśam āśvāsayāmi vaḥ || kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntā videśasthā viceṭasaḥ |

Translation

Arjuna said: “I do not strike down those who are without protectors, afflicted, destitute, emaciated, aged, or already defeated—nor those who have laid down their weapons, have lost hope for their lives, and stand with joined hands in surrender. Go in safety; may good befall you. You need not fear me in any way. I do not wish to kill the distressed; I give you firm reassurance.”

Word by Word

अर्जुनःArjuna

उवाचsaid

अनाथान्helpless/orphaned

दुःखितान्afflicted, sorrowful

दीनान्wretched, poor

कृशान्emaciated, weak

वृद्धान्old

पराजितान्defeated

न्यस्त-शस्त्रान्those who have laid down their weapons

निराशान्hopeless, despairing

चand

नnot

अहम्I

हन्मिkill

कृत-अञ्जलीन्those with joined hands (supplicants)

स्वस्तिwell-being; may it be well

व्रजतgo

वःof you / for you

भद्रेin safety / in auspiciousness

नnot

भेतव्यम्is to be feared / should be feared

कथंचनin any way, at all

नnot

अहम्I

आर्तान्distressed, afflicted

जिघांसामिwish/desire to kill

भृशम्greatly, exceedingly

आश्वासयामिI reassure, I give confidence

वःyou (all)

क्षुत्-पिपासा-परिश्रान्ताःwearied by hunger and thirst

विदेशस्थाःbeing in a foreign land

विचेतसःbewildered, distraught

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Kaurava soldiers (implicitly, as surrendered opponents)

weapons (śastra)

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?

Even in warfare, dharma restrains violence: the helpless, disarmed, defeated, and those who surrender with folded hands are not to be killed; protection and reassurance are themselves righteous acts.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Kaurava force is scattered, some frightened soldiers emerge from hiding, exhausted and pleading. Arjuna addresses them, declares he will not kill such surrendered and distressed men, and sends them away safely.