Shloka 165

अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope

Devanagari script

यदाओ्रषमसुराणां वधार्थे किरीटिनं यान्तममित्रकर्शनम्‌ | कृतार्थ चाप्यागतं शक्रलोकात्‌ तदा नाशंसे विजयाय संजय,मैंने जब सुना कि शत्रुओंका संहार करनेवाले किरीटी अर्जुन असुरोंका वध करनेके लिये गये थे और इन्द्रलोकसे अपना काम पूरा करके लौट आये हैं, संजय! तभी मैंने समझ लिया--अब मेरी जीतकी कोई आशा नहीं

Transliteration

yadā śrauṣam asurāṇāṁ vadhārthe kirīṭinaṁ yāntam amitrakarśanam | kṛtārthaṁ cāpy āgataṁ śakralokāt tadā nāśaṁse vijayāya sañjaya ||

Translation

When I heard that the diadem-wearing Arjuna—crusher of foes—had gone forth to slay the Asuras, and that he returned from Indra’s world with his mission accomplished, then, Sañjaya, I understood at once: I could no longer hope for victory. The report of his divinely sanctioned success revealed the moral and strategic weight behind the Pāṇḍavas, and exposed the fragility of my own cause.

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'yadā', 'definition': 'when'}, {'term': 'śrauṣam', 'definition': "I heard (aorist of √śru, 'to hear')"}, {'term': 'asurāṇām', 'definition': 'of the Asuras (anti-gods/demonic beings)'}, {'term': 'vadhārthe', 'definition': 'for the purpose of slaying (vadha + artha)'}, {'term': 'kirīṭinam', 'definition': 'the diadem-wearing one

• an epithet of Arjuna'}, {'term': 'yāntam', 'definition': 'going, departing'}, {'term': 'amitrakarśanam', 'definition': 'crusher/harasser of enemies (amitra + karśana)'}, {'term': 'kṛtārtham', 'definition': 'having accomplished the purpose

• successful'}, {'term': 'āgatam', 'definition': 'returned, come back'}, {'term': 'śakralokāt', 'definition': 'from Śakra’s world

• from Indra’s heaven'}, {'term': 'tadā', 'definition': 'then'}, {'term': 'nāśaṁse', 'definition': 'I do not hope

• I cannot expect'}, {'term': 'vijayāya', 'definition': 'for victory'}, {'term': 'sañjaya', 'definition': 'Sañjaya (addressed in vocative)'}]

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna (Kirīṭin)
• Asuras
• Śakra/Indra
• Śakraloka (Indra’s world/heaven)
• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how perceived divine sanction and proven competence can shift the moral and psychological balance in war: when a leader recognizes that the opposing side is backed by extraordinary merit and heavenly success, confidence in an unjust or weaker cause collapses.

What is happening in the narrative?

The speaker tells Sañjaya that upon hearing of Arjuna’s journey to Indra’s realm and his successful slaying of Asuras, he concluded that victory was no longer attainable for his side, since Arjuna’s return signifies exceptional power and support.