Shloka 60

Devanagari script

जयन्तो वध्यमानाक्ष गतिमिष्टां गमिष्यथ । जित्वा वा बहुभिर्यज्ञैर्यजध्वं भूरिदक्षिणै:

Transliteration

jayanto vadhyamānākṣa gatimiṣṭāṁ gamiṣyatha | jitvā vā bahubhir yajñair yajadhvaṁ bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ ||

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ຈະຍັນຕະ, ໂອ ວັດຍະມານາກສະ, ພວກເຈົ້າຈະໄດ້ບັນລຸເປົ້າໝາຍທີ່ປາດຖະໜາ. ຫຼືຖ້າຊະນະແລ້ວ ຈົ່ງປະກອບຍັດຍະຫຼາຍໆ ພ້ອມທານອັນອຸດົມ»

Word by Word

जयन्तःconquering; victorious (ones)

वध्यमानाःbeing slain; being killed

अक्षगतिम्the course/movement of the axle (i.e., the wheel’s track)

गतिम्path; course; movement

इष्टाम्desired; wished-for

गमिष्यथyou will go; you will attain

जित्वाhaving conquered

वाor

बहुभिःwith many

यज्ञैःby/with sacrifices

यजध्वम्perform sacrifice; worship

भूरिदक्षिणैःwith abundant fees/gifts (to priests)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

ज

जयन्त (Jayanta)

व

वध्यमानाक्ष (Vadhyamānākṣa)

य

यज्ञ (sacrifices)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a dharmic ideal for warriors: either attain the ‘desired end’ through steadfastness even unto death, or, if victorious, convert success into righteous order by performing sacrifices and giving abundant gifts. It links martial duty with post-war ethical responsibility—victory is not merely to be enjoyed, but to be sanctified through generosity and ritual obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an exhortation addressed to Jayanta and Vadhyamānākṣa, encouraging them toward a worthy outcome: they will reach the sought-after goal; or, if they win, they should undertake many well-endowed sacrifices. The speech motivates combatants by presenting honorable alternatives—glorious end or righteous celebration of victory.