Shloka 12
Devanagari script
अश्वत्थाम्नि हते नैष युध्येदिति मतिर्मम
Transliteration
aśvatthāmni hate naiṣa yudhyed iti matir mama
Translation
संजय बोले— अश्वत्थामा के मारे जाने पर—मेरी बुद्धि के अनुसार—यह फिर युद्ध नहीं करेगा।
Word by Word
अश्वत्थाम्निin/when (it is) Ashvatthaman
अश्वत्थाम्नि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअश्वत्थामन्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
हतेwhen slain / upon being killed
हते:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootहन्
Formक्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
एषःthis (man)
एषः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
युध्येतshould fight
युध्येत:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormVidhi-linga (optative), Present-system, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada
इतिthus / that
इति:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति
मतिःthought, intention
मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमति
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
ममof me / my
मम:
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormGenitive, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)अ
अश्वत्थामन् (Aśvatthāman)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a warrior’s resolve can hinge on a single moral-emotional trigger—here, the death of Aśvatthāman—showing that warfare is shaped not only by strength but by inner conviction, attachment, and ethical shock.
Sañjaya reports his assessment to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: if Aśvatthāman is killed, then the person under discussion (contextually, a key combatant whose will depends on Aśvatthāman) will cease fighting. It frames a turning point driven by news of Aśvatthāman’s death.