Shloka 85

Devanagari script

न बाहुल्‍येन सेनाया जयो भवति नित्यश: । अध्रुवो हि जयो नाम दैवं चात्र परायणम्‌ । जयवन्तो हि संग्रामे कृतकृत्या भवन्ति हि,सदा अधिक सेना होनेसे ही विजय नहीं होती है। युद्धमें जीत प्राय: अनिश्चित होती है। उसमें दैव ही सबसे बड़ा सहारा है। जो संग्राममें विजयी होते हैं, वे ही कृतकार्य होते हैं

Transliteration

na bāhulyena senāyā jayo bhavati nityaśaḥ | adhruvo hi jayo nāma daivaṃ cātra parāyaṇam | jayavanto hi saṃgrāme kṛtakṛtyā bhavanti hi |

Translation

ヴィヤーサは言った。「勝利は常に軍勢の多さから生まれるのではない。戦において『勝利』と呼ばれるものは定かではなく、ここでは天命（神の配剤）こそが最高の拠り所である。戦場で勝ち得た者のみが、己の務めを成し遂げた者と見なされる。」

Word by Word

नnot

बाहुल्येनby (mere) abundance/large number

सेनायाःof the army

जयःvictory

भवतिhappens/is

नित्यशःalways

अध्रुवःuncertain, not fixed

हिindeed/for

जयःvictory

नामso-called/indeed (emphatic particle)

दैवम्fate, divine dispensation

चand

अत्रhere/in this matter

परायणम्supreme refuge/support

जयवन्तःvictorious (ones)

हिindeed

संग्रामेin battle

कृतकृत्याःhaving accomplished their task

भवन्तिbecome/are

हिindeed

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that military strength in numbers is not a sure cause of success; victory is inherently uncertain in war, and divine providence (daiva) plays a decisive role. Therefore, outcomes should be approached with humility and realism rather than arrogance based on force alone.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa offers a reflective counsel about the nature of warfare: he cautions that even a large army cannot guarantee victory, emphasizing the unpredictability of battle and the overarching influence of fate; those who win are seen as having achieved their immediate objective.