Shloka 5

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Remorse and Vyāsa’s Teaching on Impermanence (Śoka-nivāraṇa)

Devanagari script

यदा होन॑ विघूर्णन्तमपश्यं पार्थसायकै: । कम्पमानं यथा वचजे: प्रेक्ष्ष्माणं शिखण्डिना

Transliteration

yadā ha enaṁ vighūrṇantam apaśyaṁ pārthasāyakaiḥ | kampamānaṁ yathā vṛddhasiṁhaḥ prekṣamāṇaṁ śikhaṇḍinā ||

Translation

ユディシュティラは言った。「アルジュナの矢に射られてよろめき、老いた獅子のように震えるお方を見たとき—シカンディンが正面に立ち、御身の全てが矢で隙間なく埋め尽くされているのを見たとき—その光景に、私の胸には深い苦痛が湧き上がった。」

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• ह: indeed/just (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विघूर्णन्तम्: reeling/whirling about
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-घूर्ण्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्यम्: I saw
• अपश्यम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect, 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थ: of Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कम्पमानम्: trembling
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प्
• Form: Present middle participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वज्रैः: with thunderbolts
• वज्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रेक्षमाणम्: looking on/being looked at (context: looking)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: Present middle participle, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शिखण्डिना: by Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha, implied by context)
• Śikhaṇḍin
• arrows (sāyaka/śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of righteous war: even when action aligns with duty, witnessing the suffering of elders and heroes can produce profound remorse. Dharma in conflict is not emotionally neutral; moral responsibility includes acknowledging grief and the human cost of victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira describes seeing Bhīṣma stagger and tremble after being struck by Arjuna’s arrows, with Śikhaṇḍin positioned before him. Bhīṣma’s body is densely pierced with shafts, and the sight fills Yudhiṣṭhira with intense anguish.