Shloka 39

Devanagari script

सात्यकिं ते समासाद्य पृतनास्वनिवर्तिनम्‌

Transliteration

sātyakiṃ te samāsādya pṛtanāsv anivartinam

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having encountered Sātyaki—unyielding in the battle-lines and one who does not turn back—your warriors were forced to face a steadfast opponent whose resolve in war would not waver.

Word by Word

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki (as object)
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ते: of you / your
• ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• समासाद्य: having approached / having reached
• समासाद्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), —

• पृतनासु: in the armies / in the battle-lines
• पृतनासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Plural

• अनिवर्तिनम्: not turning back, unretreating
• अनिवर्तिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in righteous combat: anivartin—one who does not retreat—embodies resolve and duty under pressure, reminding the listener that moral and strategic outcomes in war hinge on firmness of purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, notes that the Kaurava forces have come face to face with Sātyaki, describing him as an unretreating fighter within the battle formations, signaling the difficulty and intensity of the encounter.