Shloka 47

Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange

Chapter 55

Devanagari script

सदा ममैष मान्यस्तु सर्वशस्त्रभृतामपि । एतस्य त्वं रथं प्राप्य निवर्तेथा: पुनः पुन:

Transliteration

sadā mamaiva mānyas tu sarvaśastrabhṛtām api | etasya tvaṁ rathaṁ prāpya nivartethāḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

アルジュナは言った。「彼は常に私にとって敬うべき者であり、武器を執る者すべてにとっても同じだ。たとえ彼の戦車の近くに至っても、幾度となく退け、また退け。」

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'sadā', 'definition': 'always, at all times'}, {'term': 'mama', 'definition': 'for me, of me'}, {'term': 'eṣaḥ', 'definition': 'this person (here)'}, {'term': 'mānyaḥ', 'definition': 'honorable, worthy of respect'}, {'term': 'tu', 'definition': 'but/indeed (emphatic particle)'}, {'term': 'sarva-śastra-bhṛtām', 'definition': 'of all weapon-bearers

• of all armed warriors'}, {'term': 'api', 'definition': 'also, even'}, {'term': 'etasya', 'definition': 'of this one

• with regard to him'}, {'term': 'tvaṁ', 'definition': 'you'}, {'term': 'ratham', 'definition': 'chariot'}, {'term': 'prāpya', 'definition': 'having reached, approaching'}, {'term': 'nivartethāḥ', 'definition': 'you should turn back/withdraw (injunctive/optative sense)'}, {'term': 'punaḥ punaḥ', 'definition': 'again and again, repeatedly'}]

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• chariot (ratha)
• weapon-bearers/warriors (śastrabhṛt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in conflict, dharma requires discernment and restraint: one must honor those who are worthy of respect (especially connected to one’s teachers and the warrior code) and avoid needless provocation, approaching only with caution and withdrawing when appropriate.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is instructing his companion (in the Virāṭa episode) about a formidable, respected warrior: even if they come close to that warrior’s chariot, they should repeatedly pull back—signaling both tactical prudence and an ethical recognition of the opponent’s venerable status.