Mahabharata 7.198.39 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 198, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स तु शोकसमाविष्टो विमुख: पुत्रवत्सल:

Transliteration

sa tu śokasamāviṣṭo vimukhaḥ putravatsalaḥ

Translation

Namun dia diliputi dukacita, berpaling dalam kepedihan. Terlalu kasih dan terikat pada puteranya, sehingga kasih seorang bapa mengatasi keteguhan dirinya di tengah tuntutan perang yang keras.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शोकसमाविष्टः: overwhelmed/possessed by grief
• शोकसमाविष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक-समाविष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विमुखः: turned away; averse; downcast
• विमुखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्रवत्सलः: affectionate toward his son; loving his son
• पुत्रवत्सलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रवत्सल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights how powerful personal bonds—especially parental love—can overwhelm even warriors, creating an ethical and emotional tension between private attachment and public duty (dharma) in the context of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure is described as being seized by sorrow and turning away, characterized as intensely devoted to his son; the narration underscores a moment where grief and paternal attachment dominate his response amid the unfolding conflict.