Shloka 9

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

न हन्येरंश्व राजानो राज्ञश्चाज्ञा कृता भवेत्‌ इति संचिन्त्य स तदा फाल्गुन: पुरुषर्षभ:

Transliteration

na hanyeraṁśva rājāno rājñaścājñā kṛtā bhavet iti sañcintya sa tadā phālgunaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: Размышляя так — «царей не следует убивать, и повеление государя должно быть исполнено» — тот бык среди людей, Пхалгуна (Арджуна), в то время обдумывал решение, держа в сердце этот нравственный обет.

Word by Word

नnot

हन्येरन्should be killed / would be slain

अंशुAṃśu (proper name)

राजानःkings

राज्ञःof the king

चand

आज्ञाcommand, order

कृताmade, done

भवेत्would be / should be

इतिthus (quotative)

संचिन्त्यhaving reflected / considering

सःhe

तदाthen

फाल्गुनःPhālguna (Arjuna)

पुरुषर्षभःbull among men, best of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Phālguna (Arjuna)

rājānaḥ (kings)

rājñaḥ (the king/sovereign)

ājñā (royal command)

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?

The verse foregrounds a dharmic restraint: even amid conflict, the killing of kings is treated as morally weighty, and the rightful command of a sovereign is to be honored. It presents ethical deliberation as integral to righteous action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Phālguna), described as the best of men, pauses to reflect on principles of conduct—avoiding the slaying of kings and fulfilling the king’s order—before proceeding with his next course of action.