Shloka 44

अध्याय १ — न्यग्रोधवनोपवेशनम् तथा द्रौणिनिश्चयः

Night at the Banyan and Drauṇi’s Resolve

Devanagari script

तद्‌ दृष्टवा सोपधं कर्म कौशिकेन कृतं निशि

Transliteration

tad dṛṣṭvā sopadhaṃ karma kauśikena kṛtaṃ niśi

Translation

രാത്രിയിൽ കൗശികൻ കപടോപായത്തോടെ ചെയ്ത ആ പ്രവൃത്തി കണ്ടപ്പോൾ (അതിന്റെയ ധാർമ്മിക ഭാരമവന്റെ മനസ്സിനെ ഉലച്ചു)।

Word by Word

• तत्: that (act/thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), active

• सोपधम्: with deceit; treacherous
• सोपधम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-उपध
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कौशिकेन: by Kauśika (Aśvatthāman)
• कौशिकेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौशिक
• Form: masculine, instrumental, singular

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), neuter, accusative, singular

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा
• Form: feminine, locative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kauśika
• night (niśā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical stain of actions accomplished through concealment and stratagem—especially at night—implying a contrast between straightforward, dharmic conduct and deeds that rely on deceit and opportunism.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a particular act was witnessed: a deed performed at night by Kauśika using a deceptive means. The line functions as a moral framing, drawing attention to the questionable method rather than merely the outcome.