Shloka 56

Devanagari script

लघुहस्तश्नित्रयोधी तथा लघुपराक्रम: । प्राज्ञ: सर्वास्त्रविच्छूरों मुहुते न च संयुगे,वह कहता था--'सात्यकिके हाथोंमें बड़ी फुर्ती है। वह विचित्र रीतिसे युद्ध करनेवाला और शीतघ्रतापूर्वक पराक्रम दिखानेवाला है। सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंका ज्ञाता, विद्वान्‌ एवं शूरवीर सात्यकि युद्धस्थलमें कभी मोहित नहीं होता है

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | laghuhastaś citrayodhī tathā laghuparākramaḥ | prājñaḥ sarvāstravic chūro muhūrte na ca saṃyuge ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Sātyaki tangannya pantas; dia bertempur dengan taktik yang pelbagai dan cerdik, serta memperlihatkan keberanian yang tangkas. Bijaksana, mengetahui segala jenis senjata, dan benar-benar wira, dia tidak pernah terkeliru di medan perang—walau sesaat pun di tengah pertempuran.”

Word by Word

• {'yudhiṣṭhira uvāca': 'Yudhiṣṭhira said', 'laghu-hastaḥ': 'quick-handed

• having swift hands (in weapon-handling)', 'citra-yodhī': 'one who fights in varied/ingenious ways

• a fighter of diverse tactics', 'tathā': 'and also

• likewise', 'laghu-parākramaḥ': 'swift in prowess

• quick to display valor', 'prājñaḥ': 'wise

• discerning', 'sarva-astra-vit': 'knower of all weapons/missiles

• expert in all arms', 'śūraḥ': 'heroic

• brave warrior', 'muhūrte': 'for a moment

• even briefly', 'na ca': 'not even

• and not', 'saṃyuge': 'in battle

Speaker

युधिष्ठिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Sātyaki

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights an ethical ideal for a warrior: mastery of arms joined with wisdom and steadiness. True heroism is not mere aggression but composed clarity—remaining unconfused and effective even amid the chaos of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira is describing and praising Sātyaki’s battlefield qualities—his speed, tactical variety, comprehensive knowledge of weapons, and unshakable composure during combat.