Shloka 4

Devanagari script

अजुन उवाच कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन । इषुभ्रि: प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca kathaṁ bhīṣmam ahaṁ saṅkhye droṇaṁ ca madhusūdana | iṣubhiḥ pratiyotsyāmi pūjārhāv arisūdana ||

Translation

Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Madhusūdana, bagaimana mungkin aku di medan laga membalas dengan anak panah melawan Bhīṣma dan Droṇa—mereka yang patut dimuliakan? Wahai penakluk musuh, batinku gentar mengangkat senjata kepada mereka yang layak menerima hormat dan budi, sekalipun perang menuntutnya.”

Word by Word

अर्जुनःArjuna

उवाचsaid

कथम्how

भीष्मम्Bhishma

अहम्I

सङ्ख्येin battle

द्रोणम्Drona

चand

मधुसूदनO slayer of Madhu (Krishna)

इषुभिःwith arrows

प्रतियोत्स्यामिshall fight against

पूजार्हौtwo worthy of worship

अरिसूदनO slayer of foes (Krishna)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Bhīṣma

Droṇa

Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana/Arisūdana)

arrows (iṣu)

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

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Arjuna’s ethical crisis: even in a righteous war, he feels it is morally troubling to attack elders and teachers who are ‘pūjārha’ (worthy of reverence). It sets up the Gītā’s inquiry into how dharma can require action that conflicts with personal emotion and social obligations.

What is happening in the narrative?

On the battlefield, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa and questions how he can shoot arrows at Bhīṣma and Droṇa, who stand on the opposing side. His hesitation arises from respect, gratitude, and the traditional duty to honor elders and gurus, intensifying his refusal to fight.