Shloka 66

Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो महाबाहुर्वासुदेवेन पाण्डव: । मनसा पूजयामास भूरिश्रवसमाहवे

Transliteration

evam ukto mahābāhur vāsudevena pāṇḍavaḥ | manasā pūjayāmāsa bhūriśravasam āhave ||

Translation

Demikian ditegur oleh Vāsudeva, sang Pāṇḍava berlengan perkasa, bahkan di tengah pertempuran, menghormati Bhūriśravas dalam batinnya.

Word by Word

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

वासुदेवेनby Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

पाण्डवःthe Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

मनसाwith (his) mind

पूजयामासhonoured / paid reverence

भूरिश्रवसम्Bhūriśravas

आहवेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

Bhūriśravas

battlefield (āhava)

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?

Even in violent conflict, dharma includes honoring genuine valor and worth; ethical warfare is not merely victory-seeking but also maintaining inner respect and restraint under guidance (here, Kṛṣṇa’s counsel).

What is happening in the narrative?

After being instructed by Vāsudeva, the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) mentally pays respect to the warrior Bhūriśravas on the battlefield, indicating acknowledgment of an opponent’s merit while the war continues.