Shloka 70

Devanagari script

अनाशक्षर्यों जयस्तेषां येषां त्वमसि केशव । रक्षिता समरे नित्यं नित्यं चापि हिते रत:

Transliteration

anāśaṅkaryāḥ jayas teṣāṃ yeṣāṃ tvam asi keśava | rakṣitā samare nityaṃ nityaṃ cāpi hite rataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Victory is assured for those to whom you, O Keśava, are the constant protector in battle—ever steadfast, and ever devoted to their true welfare. The verse underscores that success in war is not merely a matter of force, but of righteous guidance and protective leadership aligned with the good of one’s side.

Word by Word

• अनाशक्षर्यः: unassailable / unconquerable
• अनाशक्षर्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाशक्षर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जयः: victory
• जयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तेषाम्: of them / for them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Nominative, Singular

• असि: are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• केशव: O Keshava (Krishna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• रक्षिता: protector
• रक्षिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) → रक्षितृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)

• अपि: also / even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)

• हिते: in welfare / in what is beneficial
• हिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रतः: engaged / devoted
• रतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that victory becomes morally and practically assured when one is guided and protected by a steadfast, welfare-oriented protector like Kṛṣṇa—implying that right counsel, constancy, and commitment to the good are decisive forces beyond mere martial strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the Kurukṣetra war, emphasizes to the listener that the side supported by Kṛṣṇa (addressed as Keśava) has an unshakable advantage, because Kṛṣṇa is portrayed as a constant guardian in battle and one who acts for the true benefit of those he supports.