Shloka 96

Devanagari script

स्थितो<स्मीति च गाज्लेयस्तच्छुत्वा वाक्यमब्रवीत्‌ । धारयामास च प्राणान्‌ पतितो5पि महीतले

Transliteration

sthito 'smīti ca gājaleyas tac chrutvā vākyam abravīt | dhārayāmāsa ca prāṇān patito 'pi mahītale ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing him say, “I am steady,” Gājaleya spoke in reply. And though he had fallen upon the ground, he still held fast to his life-breaths—showing a grim resolve to endure even in collapse amid the violence of battle.

Word by Word

• स्थितः: standing; having stood
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्थित (स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, First, Singular

• इति: thus; saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• गाज्लेयः: Gājleya (a person’s name)
• गाज्लेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाज्लेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• वाक्यम्: speech; words
• वाक्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said; spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular

• धारयामास: held; sustained
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) (णिच्) + आमास
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect, Third, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• प्राणान्: life-breaths; vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पतित (पत् धातोः क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even; although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• महीतले: on the ground; on the earth’s surface
• महीतले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Gajaleya
• prana (life-breaths)
• mahitala (ground/earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness (sthiti) and endurance: even when physically brought down, a warrior’s resolve can persist, reflecting the Mahabharata’s recurring emphasis on fortitude and the will to uphold one’s role amid adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that after someone declares “I am steady,” Gājaleya responds. Despite having fallen to the ground, the person continues to sustain his life-breaths, indicating he is not yet dead and is struggling on in the midst of battle.