Shloka 5

वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च

The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel

Devanagari script

कथं प्रायोपविष्टाय पार्थेन छिन्नबाहवे । नृशंसं पतनीयं च तादृशं॑ कृतवानसि,'अर्जुनने जिसकी बाँह काट डाली थी तथा जो आमरण अनशनका निश्चय लेकर बैठा था, उस मेरे पुत्रपर तुमने वैसा पतनकारक क्रूर प्रहार क्यों किया?

Transliteration

kathaṃ prāyopaviṣṭāya pārthena chinnabāhave | nṛśaṃsaṃ patanīyaṃ ca tādṛśaṃ kṛtavān asi ||

Translation

कथं प्रायोपविष्टाय पार्थेन छिन्नबाहवे। नृशंसं पतनीयं च तादृशं कृतवानसि॥

Word by Word

कथम्how?

प्रायोपविष्टायto (one) who has sat down for fasting unto death

पार्थेनby Partha (Arjuna)

छिन्नबाहवेto (one) whose arm(s) were cut off

नृशंसम्cruel (act/blow)

पतनीयम्sinful, causing downfall

चand

तादृशम्such (a blow/act)

कृतवान्you have done

असिyou are (auxiliary with kṛtavān)

Speaker

सयजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Duryodhana (implied by 'my son')

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, actions are judged by dharma: striking someone already incapacitated and who has adopted self-restraint (prāyopaveśa) is portrayed as nṛśaṃsa (cruel) and patanīya (morally degrading). The verse frames victory without restraint as ethically corrupting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports and questions a harsh act committed against Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana), who had been maimed by Arjuna and had sat in a vow to fast unto death. Sañjaya challenges the justification for attacking or harming him further, emphasizing the cruelty and moral fault of such conduct.