Shloka 323

Devanagari script

यदा तदा हतः शूर: सौमदत्ति: प्रतापवान्‌ | जब अर्जुनने पहले ही प्रतापी शूरवीर सोमदत्तकुमार भूरिश्रवाको परास्त कर दिया, उस समय तूने उनका वध किया। तू कितना नीच है?

Transliteration

dhṛṣṭadyumna uvāca |

yadā tadā hataḥ śūraḥ saumadattiḥ pratāpavān |

Translation

ಅದೇ ಕ್ಷಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರತಾಪವಂತ ಶೂರ ಸೌಮದತ್ತಿ (ಭೂರಿಶ್ರವ) ಹತನಾದನು. ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಭೂರಿಶ್ರವನನ್ನು ಮಣಿಸಿದ್ದಾಗ, ನೀನು ಅವನನ್ನು ಕೊಂದೆ—ನೀನು ಎಷ್ಟು ನೀಚ!

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा
• Form: temporal adverb

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: correlative temporal adverb

• हतः: killed/slain
• हतः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: past passive participle; masculine nominative singular

• शूरः: hero, brave man
• शूरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: masculine nominative singular

• सौमदत्तिः: the son of Somadatta (Bhurishravas)
• सौमदत्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौमदत्ति
• Form: masculine nominative singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: masculine nominative singular

Speaker

धृष्टह्युम्न उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Saumadatti (Bhūriśravas)
• Somadatta
• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of righteous warfare: striking down an already overpowered or incapacitated opponent is condemned as adharma, even amid the chaos of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna denounces the killing of Saumadatti (Bhūriśravas) at a moment when Arjuna had already subdued him, framing the act as ignoble and contrary to proper warrior conduct.