Shloka 5

Devanagari script

केशान्‌ नियम्य यत्नेन नि:श्वसन्नुरगो यथा । संरम्भाश्रुपरीताभ्यां नेत्राभ्यामभिवीक्ष्य माम्‌

Transliteration

keśān niyamya yatnena niḥśvasann urago yathā | saṃrambhāśruparītābhyāṃ netrābhyām abhivīkṣya mām ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「彼は懸命に髪を押さえ、蛇のように荒く息をつきながら、激しい動揺から生まれた涙に満ちた両眼で私を見据えた。」

Word by Word

• केशान्: hair (locks)
• केशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नियम्य: having restrained
• नियम्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-यम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having restrained/controlled

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नि:श्वसन्: breathing hard/sighing
• नि:श्वसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-श्वस्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Present, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उरगः: a serpent
• उरगः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यथा: as/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• संरम्भ: with fury/impetuosity
• संरम्भ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संरम्भ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अश्रु: with tears
• अश्रु: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रु
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• परीताभ्याम्: surrounded/filled (by)
• परीताभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-इ (परी)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• नेत्राभ्याम्: with (two) eyes
• नेत्राभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• अभिवीक्ष्य: having looked at
• अभिवीक्ष्य: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वीक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having looked at

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• the unnamed person being described
• serpent (simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between inner turmoil and outward restraint: even amid war-born rage and grief, a person may struggle to control bodily signs (here, hair and breath), revealing how powerful emotions can overwhelm composure while still being partially governed by will.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a figure (contextually, someone reacting to catastrophic war news) who, panting like a serpent and with tear-filled eyes from intense agitation, turns his gaze toward Sañjaya—signaling a moment of charged emotion before speech or action.