Shloka 16

Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)

Devanagari script

सम्भृत्य महतीं सेनां चतुरज्ां युधिष्ठिर । साम्नैव वर्तये: पूर्व प्रयतेथास्ततो युधि

Transliteration

sambhṛtya mahatīṃ senāṃ caturajñāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | sāmnaiva vartayethāḥ pūrvaṃ prayatethāstato yudhi ||

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു—യുധിഷ്ഠിരാ! ചതുരംഗമായ മഹാസൈന്യം സമാഹരിച്ചിട്ടും ആദ്യം സാമം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ നിന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യം സാധിപ്പാൻ ശ്രമിക്ക; അതിനുശേഷമേ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ പരിശ്രമിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• सम्भृत्य: having gathered/assembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भृ (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे अव्ययभावः), कर्तरि, absolutive (having done)

• महतīm: great, large
• महतīm: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सेनाम्: army
• सेनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चतुरङ्गाम्: four-limbed (with four divisions)
• चतुरङ्गाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिर: O Yudhiṣṭhira
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• साम्ना: by conciliation/peaceful means
• साम्ना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• वर्तयेत्: should proceed/act, should manage
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) / वर्तय् (णिजन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, 3rd, Singular

• पूर्वम्: first, beforehand
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)

• प्रयतेथाः: you have striven/endeavoured
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु) with प्र- (प्रयत्)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, 2nd, Singular

• अथ: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• युधि: in battle, in war
• युधि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युध् (प्रातिपदिक: युध्/युधि-शब्दः)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• catur-aṅga-senā (fourfold army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when one possesses strength (a large fourfold army), dharma-guided leadership prioritizes peaceful means—conciliation and negotiation—before resorting to warfare; force is a last resort.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (kingly conduct), advising him to attempt reconciliation first and only then, if necessary, engage in battle.