Shloka 38

Devanagari script

धृष्टद्युम्नवच: श्रुत्वा शिनेर्नप्ता महारथ: । उद्यम्य निशितं खडगं हन्तुं मामुद्यतस्तदा,धृष्टद्युम्मकी बात सुनकर शिनिपौत्र महारथी सात्यकि तीखी तलवार उठाकर उसी क्षण मुझे मार डालनेके लिये उद्यत हो गये

Transliteration

dhṛṣṭadyumnavacaḥ śrutvā śiner naptā mahārathaḥ | udyamya niśitaṁ khaḍgaṁ hantuṁ mām udyatas tadā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hearing the words of Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great chariot-warrior Sātyaki—grandson of Śini—raised his sharpened sword and at that moment stood poised to strike me down. The scene underscores how, amid the fury of war, even speech can ignite immediate violence, testing restraint and right conduct.

Word by Word

धृष्टद्युम्नवचःthe words of Dhrishtadyumna

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

शिनेःof Shini

नप्ताःgrandson (descendant)

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

उद्यम्यhaving lifted/raised

निशितम्sharp

खड्गम्sword

हन्तुम्to kill

माम्me

उद्यतःready/raised, intent

तदाthen, at that time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Śini

Sātyaki

khaḍga (sword)

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 provocative or charged speech in a battlefield context can trigger immediate violent retaliation, making self-control and discernment crucial aspects of dharma even for renowned warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that after hearing Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s words, Sātyaki (Śini’s grandson) becomes so incensed that he draws and raises a sharp sword, ready at once to kill Sañjaya.