Shloka 396

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

प्रसाद कुरु धर्मज्ञ मा मन्युवशमन्वगा: । “यह अबोध बालक है, कुछ नहीं जानता है। इसके भाई-बन्धु नष्ट हो चुके हैं। अतः धर्मज्ञ अर्जुन! तुम इसके ऊपर कृपा करो। क्रोधके वशीभूत न होओ

Transliteration

prasāda kuru dharmajña mā manyuvaśam anvagāḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai yang mengetahui dharma, tunjukkanlah belas ihsan; jangan tunduk kepada amarah. Ini hanyalah seorang anak yang jahil, tidak mengetahui apa-apa. Saudara dan kaum kerabatnya telah binasa. Maka, wahai Arjuna yang mengetahui dharma, kasihanilah dia; jangan dikuasai murka.”

Word by Word

प्रसादम्favor, grace, kindness

कुरुdo, show (grant)

धर्मज्ञO knower of dharma

माdo not

मन्युवशम्the control/power of anger

अन्वगाःfollow, go after (become subject to)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a context shaped by violence and loss, dharma requires restraint: anger must not govern action, and compassion should be shown to the ignorant and bereaved—especially to a helpless child.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana urges Arjuna to be merciful and not act in anger, emphasizing that the person before him is an ignorant child whose family has already been destroyed, and therefore deserves clemency rather than wrath.