Shloka 4

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration

Sañjaya’s Report

Devanagari script

संशृण्वतस्तस्य दुर्भाषिणो वै दुरात्मन: सूतपुत्रस्य सूत । यो योद्धुमाशंसति मां सदैव मन्दप्रज्ञ: कालपक्वो5तिमूढ:

Transliteration

saṃśṛṇvatastasya durbhāṣiṇo vai durātmanaḥ sūtaputrasya sūta | yo yoddhum āśaṃsati māṃ sadaiva mandaprajñaḥ kālapakvo'timūḍhaḥ ||

Translation

“ହେ ସୂତ! ସେଇ କଟୁଭାଷୀ ଦୁରାତ୍ମା ସୂତପୁତ୍ର କର୍ଣ୍ଣ—ଯେ ମନ୍ଦପ୍ରଜ୍ଞ, କାଳପକ୍ୱ, ଅତିମୂଢ ହୋଇ ସଦା ମୋ ସହ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରିବି ବୋଲି ଡିଙ୍ଗ ହାଙ୍କେ—ତାହାର ଶୁଣାଣିରେ, ଏବଂ ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନଙ୍କ ବିରୋଧରେ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ ପାଇଁ ଡାକାଯାଇଥିବା ଅନ୍ୟ ରାଜାମାନଙ୍କ ଶୁଣାଣିରେ; କୁରୁସଭାରେ ମୋର କହିଥିବା ସମଗ୍ର ବଚନ ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରପୁତ୍ର ରାଜା ଦୁର୍ଯ୍ୟୋଧନଙ୍କୁ ଏପରି ଶୁଣାଇଦିଅ, ଯେ ସେ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ଭାବେ ଶୁଣିପାରନ୍ତୁ।”

Word by Word

• संशृण्वतः: while (he) is listening / of one listening
• संशृण्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-श्रु (धातु) → संशृण्वत् (शतृ)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• दुर्भाषिणः: of the harsh-speaker
• दुर्भाषिणः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्भाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (निपात)

• दुरात्मनः: of the wicked-souled one
• दुरात्मनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सूतपुत्रस्य: of the charioteer’s son
• सूतपुत्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सूत: O charioteer (Sanjaya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योद्धुम्: to fight
• योद्धुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु) → योद्धुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive

• आशंसति: boasts / claims / hopes
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: Present, Indicative, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• सदैव: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा + एव

• मन्दप्रज्ञः: dull-witted
• मन्दप्रज्ञः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्दप्रज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कालपक्वः: ripened by Time (doomed by fate)
• कालपक्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कालपक्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिमूढः: utterly deluded
• अतिमूढः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिमूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa (Sūtaputra)
• Duryodhana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kauravas (assembly)
• Pāṇḍavas
• kings summoned for war (collective)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech and intention in conflict: abusive talk and arrogant boasting are portrayed as signs of delusion and moral decline, while the reference to kāla (Time/death) frames hubris as self-destructive and ultimately answerable to destiny.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a message meant for the Kaurava court: Karṇa is characterized as harsh-tongued and boastful about fighting, and the speaker instructs that these words be conveyed to Duryodhana (with ministers and allied kings present) as the war with the Pāṇḍavas approaches.