Shloka 26

Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्ननिर्जिते युद्धे कामवस्थां गमिष्यसि । एतज्जित्वा महाराज कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि

Transliteration

tasminn anirjite yuddhe kāmāvasthāṁ gamiṣyasi | etaj jitvā mahārāja kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi ||

Translation

Ô grand roi ! Si, dans cette bataille, tu ne vaincs pas l’ennemi intérieur, tu tomberas dans l’état où le désir te mène. Mais si tu le vaincs, ô Mahārāja, tu deviendras celui qui a accompli ce qu’il devait accomplir.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अनिर्जिते: not conquered
• अनिर्जिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिर्जित (नि + जि + क्त, with अ-)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• युद्धे: in the battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• काम-अवस्थाम्: a state of desire (lustful condition)
• काम-अवस्थाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + अवस्था
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गमिष्यसि: you will go/attain
• गमिष्यसि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 2nd, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जित्वा: having conquered
• जित्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada sense, same as main verb

• महा-राज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कृत-कृत्यः: one who has accomplished what is to be done; fulfilled
• कृत-कृत्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत + कृत्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भविष्यसि: you will be/become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 2nd, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahārāja (the king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that the decisive victory is inner: if a ruler fails to subdue desire (kāma) and the mind’s impulses, he becomes enslaved by them; conquering them makes him truly ‘kṛtakṛtya’—one who has accomplished what is essential for righteous life and rule.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating the discourse of Śānti Parva, addresses a king with counsel: the ‘battle’ is framed as a moral struggle, warning that failure to conquer the inner enemy leads to degeneration into desire-driven conduct, while inner conquest establishes fitness for dharmic governance.