Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मण्य: सत््व्योधी च तेजसा च बलेन च | देवगर्भसम: संख्ये मनुष्यैरधिको युधि,“तुम ब्राह्मणभक्त, धैर्यपूर्वक युद्ध करनेवाले तथा तेज और बलसे सम्पन्न हो। संग्रामभूमिमें देवकुमारोंक समान जान पड़ते हो और प्रत्येक युद्धमें मनुष्योंसे अधिक पराक्रमी हो

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | brahmaṇyaḥ sattvayodhī ca tejasā ca balena ca | devagarbhasamaḥ saṅkhye manuṣyair adhiko yudhi |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “You are devoted to the Brahmins and to sacred duty; you fight with steadfast courage, and you are endowed with splendor and strength. In the press of battle you appear like one born of the gods, and in combat you surpass ordinary men.”

Word by Word

ब्रह्मण्यःdevoted to Brahmins / pious

सत्त्वयोधीone who fights with courage/steadfastness

चand

तेजसाby/with splendor, energy

चand

बलेनby/with strength

चand

देवगर्भसमःequal to a divine youth (son of the gods)

संख्येin battle

मनुष्यैःthan/with men (humans)

अधिकःsuperior, greater

युधिin battle, in combat

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Brahmins (brāhmaṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Heroic excellence is framed as ethical excellence: true martial prowess is praised alongside brahmaṇyatā (reverence for Brahmins and dharma), suggesting that strength and victory are most admirable when grounded in righteousness and disciplined character.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya delivers an encomium to a warrior, highlighting his devotion to sacred duty and his extraordinary battlefield prowess—so great that he seems god-born and superior to ordinary men in combat.