Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तत्त्वामप्रतिवीर्याद्य शत्रुपक्षक्षयावह । मद्रेश्वर प्रयाचेडहं शिरसा विनयेन च,'शत्रुपक्षका विनाश करनेवाले, अनुपम शक्तिशाली, रथियोंमें श्रेष्ठ मद्रराज! मैं मस्तक झुकाकर विनयपूर्वक आपसे यह याचना करता हूँ कि आप अर्जुनके विनाश और मेरे हितके लिये प्रेमपूर्वक कर्णका सारथ्य कीजिये

Transliteration

tattvām aprativīryādya śatrupakṣakṣayāvaha | madreśvara prayāce 'haṃ śirasā vinayena ca ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: “O lord of Madra, you who are truly of irresistible prowess and a bringer of destruction to the enemy host—bowing my head, I humbly entreat you: for the slaying of Arjuna and for my own advantage, please, with goodwill, take up the role of Karna’s charioteer.”

Word by Word

तत्त्वाम्you (as the object)

अप्रतिवीर्यof unmatched valor

आद्यforemost, best

शत्रु-पक्ष-क्षय-आवहbringing destruction of the enemy side

मद्र-ईश्वरO lord of Madra

प्रयाचेI request, I beg

अहम्I

शिरसाwith (my) head; bowing the head

विनयेनwith humility

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Madra king (Śalya)

Karna

Arjuna

enemy host (Pandava side implied)

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?

The verse highlights how persuasion and humility are used in wartime politics: even powerful figures are approached through praise and deference to secure strategic cooperation, raising ethical tension between personal advantage and righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses the king of Madra (Śalya), praising his unmatched valor and requesting—head bowed—that he willingly become Karna’s charioteer, aiming at Arjuna’s destruction and the speaker’s side’s benefit.