Shloka 19

Devanagari script

मूर्थ्नि स्थितममित्राणां जीवतामेव संजय । दत्ता दाया यथाशक्ति मित्राणां च प्रियं कृतम्‌

Transliteration

mūrdhni sthitam amitrāṇāṃ jīvatām eva saṃjaya | dattā dāyā yathāśakti mitrāṇāṃ ca priyaṃ kṛtam ||

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಓ ಸಂಜಯ, ಶತ್ರುಗಳು ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿದ್ದಾಗಲೇ ನಾನು ಅವರ ಶಿರಸ್ಸಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ನಿಂತವನಂತೆ—ಅಂದರೆ ಅವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಪ್ರಭುತ್ವ ಸಾಧಿಸಿದೆ. ನನ್ನ ಶಕ್ತಿಯಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಪಾಲುಗಳನ್ನೂ ದಾನಗಳನ್ನೂ ನೀಡಿದೆ; ಮಿತ್ರರಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಿಯವಾದುದನ್ನೂ ಮಾಡಿದೆ.

Word by Word

मूर्ध्निon the head

स्थितम्placed; set; stationed

अमित्राणाम्of enemies

जीवताम्of (those) living; while alive

एवindeed; just; only

संजयO Sañjaya

दत्ताःgiven

दायाःshares; portions; gifts (allotments)

यथाas; according to

शक्तिin (one's) ability; according to capacity

मित्राणाम्of friends; for friends

चand

प्रियम्what is pleasing; a kindness

कृतम्done; performed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

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 juxtaposes worldly dominance over foes with social-ethical duties: even amid conflict, one should distribute resources fairly within one’s means and maintain loyalty by doing what benefits friends and allies.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s narration, a speaker reflects on having held a position of superiority over enemies while they yet lived, and on having allotted portions/gifts as far as possible, while also acting to please and support friends—summarizing conduct in power during wartime.