Shloka 14

Devanagari script

न भेतव्यं नरव्याप्र को हि त्वां पुरुषर्षभ । मध्ये क्षत्रियवीराणां तिष्ठन्तं प्रार्थयेद्‌ युधि,'पुरुषसिंह! नरश्रेष्ठ! तुम्हें भय नहीं करना चाहिये। युद्धस्थलमें इन क्षत्रिय वीरोंके बीचमें खड़े रहनेपर कौन तुम्हें मारनेकी इच्छा कर सकता है?

Transliteration

na bhetavyaṁ naravyāghra ko hi tvāṁ puruṣarṣabha | madhye kṣatriyavīrāṇāṁ tiṣṭhantaṁ prārthayed yudhi ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Do not be afraid, O tiger among men, O bull among heroes. For who, seeing you standing firm in the midst of these warrior-kṣatriyas on the battlefield, could even wish to strike you down?”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• भेतव्यम्: is to be feared / should be feared
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/obligative), Neuter, Nominative, Singular, impersonal obligation

• नरव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरव्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हि: indeed / for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभ: O bull among men / best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• क्षत्रियवीराणाम्: of the warrior-kshatriyas / kshatriya heroes
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रियवीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• तिष्ठन्तम्: standing
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रार्थयेत्: would desire / would seek
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अर्थय् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-linga (optative), present-system, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युधि: in battle
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reinforces kṣatriya-dharma through fearlessness and steadfastness: a true warrior should stand firm amid danger, drawing strength from honor, reputation, and disciplined courage rather than yielding to panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, offers a rousing reassurance to a great warrior, praising him with heroic epithets and asserting that no one would dare (or even wish) to attack him while he stands resolutely among the assembled kṣatriya champions.