Shloka 28

सैन्यसंनिवेशः (Sainyasaṃniveśaḥ) — Deployment, Omens, and Yuddha-Dharma Conventions

Devanagari script

वाचा युद्धप्रवृत्तानां वाचैव प्रतियोधनम्‌ । निष्क्रान्ता: पृतनामध्यान्न हन्तव्या: कदाचन

Transliteration

vāca yuddhapravṛttānāṁ vācāiva pratiyodhanam | niṣkrāntāḥ pṛtanāmadhyān na hantavyāḥ kadācana ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Тех, кто вступает лишь в словесную битву, следует отражать одними словами. А тех, кто вышел из середины войска, нельзя убивать никогда». Этот стих утверждает, что поведение на поле брани должно подчиняться сдержанности и приличию: словесные состязания не отвечаются оружием, а воин, покинувший гущу сражения, должен быть пощажён.

Word by Word

• वाचा: by speech/with words
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (स्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युद्धप्रवृत्तानाम्: of those engaged in battle
• युद्धप्रवृत्तानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धप्रवृत्त (कृदन्त; प्र+वृत्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वाचा: by speech
• वाचा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (स्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: only/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• प्रतियोधनम्: counter-fighting/retaliation (proper opposition)
• प्रतियोधनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतियोधन (प्रति+योधन)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• निष्क्रान्ताः: having gone out/withdrawn
• निष्क्रान्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त; नि: + क्रम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पृतनामध्यात्: from the midst of the army
• पृतनामध्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृतना + मध्य
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हन्तव्याः: to be killed/should be killed
• हन्तव्याः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्तव्य (कृदन्त; हन् + तव्य)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन

Speaker

वैशग्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• pṛtanā (army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches dharma-yuddha restraint: verbal provocation should be met verbally, not with weapons, and a person who has stepped out from the battle formation is not to be slain.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the opening of Bhīṣma Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts norms of righteous warfare being articulated—guidelines that distinguish fair combat from cruelty, emphasizing proportional response and protection of those who have withdrawn.