Shloka 63

Devanagari script

ततो<सस्‍्य केशान्‌ सव्येन गृहीत्वा पाणिना तदा । पार्षतः क्रोशमानानां वीराणामच्छिनच्छिर:,तब उस द्रुपदपुत्रने समस्त वीरोंके पुकार-पुकारकर मना करनेपर भी उनकी बातें अनसुनी करके बायें हाथसे आचार्यके केश पकड़ लिये और दाहिने हाथसे उनका सिर काट लिया

Transliteration

tato 'sya keśān savyena gṛhītvā pāṇinā tadā | pārṣataḥ krośamānānāṃ vīrāṇām acchinac chiraḥ ||

Translation

Then, seizing his hair with his left hand, Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) at that moment—disregarding the cries and protests of the warriors—cut off his head. The act is presented as a grim fulfillment of enmity and vow within the chaos of war, raising a stark ethical tension between battlefield necessity and the transgression involved in killing a revered teacher.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him (of this man)
• अस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• केशान्: hair (locks)
• केशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• सव्येन: with the left (hand)
• सव्येन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य
• Form: neuter, instrumental, singular

• गृहीत्वा: having seized
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• पाणिना: with (his) hand
• पाणिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• तदा: at that time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• पार्षतः: the son of Pṛṣata (Dṛṣṭadyumna)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्रोशमानानाम्: of (those) crying out
• क्रोशमानानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रोशमान
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, genitive, plural

• वीराणाम्: of the heroes/warriors
• वीराणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• अच्छिनत्: cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, singular, parasmaipada

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa (speaker)
• Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• Droṇa (implied by 'his hair/head' and the narrative context)
• warriors (vīrāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral fracture-lines of war: even when an act is driven by a perceived duty or vow, it can still carry ethical weight—especially when directed against a revered figure like a teacher. It invites reflection on how dharma becomes conflicted in extreme circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa describes Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata) grabbing Droṇa by the hair with his left hand and cutting off his head, despite other warriors crying out to stop him.