Mahabharata — Udyoga Parva, Shloka 20
Amba’s Disclosure of Prior Choice (Śālva) and Appeal to Bhīṣma — Chapter 171
Devanagari script
स हि स्त्रीपूर्वको राजन् शिखण्डी यदि ते श्रुत: । कन्या भूत्वा पुमान् जातो न योत्स्ये तेन भारत
Translation
राजन्! यदि तुम्हारे सुनने में आया हो—वह शिखण्डी पहले स्त्री था। भारत! कन्या होकर वह फिर पुरुष हो गया; इसलिए मैं उससे युद्ध नहीं करूँगा।
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
स्त्री-पूर्वकःone whose earlier state was female
स्त्री-पूर्वकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootस्त्रीपूर्वक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
शिखण्डीShikhandi
शिखण्डी:
Karta
TypeNoun (proper)
Rootशिखण्डिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यदिif
यदि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि
तेto you/for you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormDative, Singular
श्रुतःheard/known
श्रुतः:
TypeAdjective (past passive participle)
Rootश्रुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कन्याa maiden/daughter
कन्या:
TypeNoun
Rootकन्या
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
भूत्वाhaving been
भूत्वा:
TypeVerb (gerund)
Rootभू
पुमान्a man
पुमान्:
TypeNoun
Rootपुमांस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
जातःborn/become
जातः:
TypeAdjective (past passive participle)
Rootजात
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
योत्स्येI shall fight
योत्स्ये:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormLrt (simple future), Atmanepada, First, Singular
तेनwith him/with that
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
TypeNoun (proper/epithet)
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes