Shloka 36

और्वोपाख्यानम्

Aurva Episode: Restoration of Sight and Restraint of World-Destructive Anger

Devanagari script

युधिछिर उवाच युद्धे जितं यशोहीन स्त्रीनाथमपराक्रमम्‌ । को निहन्यादू रिपुं तात मुड्चेमं रिपुसूदन,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--तात! शत्रुसूदन अर्जुन! यह गन्धर्व युद्धमें हार गया और अपना यश खो चुका। अब स्त्री इसकी रक्षिका बनकर आयी है। यह स्वयं कोई पराक्रम नहीं कर सकता। ऐसे दीन-हीन शत्रुको कौन मारता है? इसे जीवित छोड़ दो

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | yuddhe jitaṃ yaśohīnaṃ strīnātham aparākramam | ko na hanyād ripuṃ tāta muñcemaṃ ripusūdana ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर बोले—तात! शत्रुसूदन अर्जुन! यह शत्रु युद्ध में पराजित होकर यशहीन हो चुका है; अब एक स्त्री इसकी शरण बनकर आयी है और यह स्वयं पराक्रमहीन है। ऐसे दीन-हीन शत्रु को कौन मारे? इसे छोड़ दो।

Word by Word

• {'yuddhe': 'in battle, in war', 'jitam': 'conquered, defeated', 'yaśohīnam': 'deprived of fame/honor

• dishonored', 'strīnātham': 'having a woman as protector

• under a woman’s protection', 'aparākramam': 'without prowess/valor

• incapable of heroic effort', 'ko': 'who?', 'na hanyāt': 'would not kill/strike down (optative: ‘would one kill?’ implying ‘one should not’)', 'ripum': 'enemy', 'tāta': 'dear one

• brother/son (term of affection)', 'muñca': 'release, let go', 'imam': 'this (person)', 'ripusūdana': '‘slayer of enemies’ (epithet, here addressing Arjuna)'}

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Arjuna (Ripusūdana)
• a defeated Gandharva (implied by context)
• a woman protector (strī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharmic restraint in warfare: a foe already defeated, dishonored, and under protection should not be slain merely for vengeance; true valor includes compassion and self-control.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Arjuna, noting that the enemy (contextually a Gandharva) has already been beaten and is now protected by a woman; he urges Arjuna to spare and release him rather than kill a helpless opponent.