Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 50

अध्याय ३: कृपस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः

Kṛpa’s Counsel to Duryodhana

Devanagari script

ततो<वस्थाप्य राजेन्द्र कृतबुद्धिस्तवात्मज:

Transliteration

tato ’vasthāpya rājendra kṛtabuddhis tavātmajaḥ

Translation

Luego, oh rey, tu hijo se afirmó en su puesto; con la determinación ya asentada, avanzó, con la mente resuelta sobre lo que debía hacerse en el curso de la guerra.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• अवस्थाप्य: having stationed/placed
• अवस्थाप्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-स्था (धातु: स्था)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), parasmaipada sense; 'having stationed/placed'

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (राजन् + इन्द्र)
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

• कृतबुद्धिः: resolved; having made up (his) mind
• कृतबुद्धिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतबुद्धि (कृत + बुद्धि)
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तव: of you; your
• तव: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, singular

• आत्मजः: son
• आत्मजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (आत्मन् + ज)
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• your son (Duryodhana, implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral weight of deliberate choice: once a person becomes kṛtabuddhi (firmly resolved), actions follow with momentum. In the war context, it underscores how determination can drive events forward, for good or ill, depending on the righteousness of the aim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son has taken his position and is mentally resolved, indicating readiness to proceed with the next step in the battle’s developments.