Shloka 40
Devanagari script
न्यस्तशस्त्रमधर्मेण घातयित्वा गुरुं भवान्
Transliteration
nyastaśastram adharmeṇa ghātayitvā guruṃ bhavān
Translation
न्यस्तशस्त्रमधर्मेण घातयित्वा गुरुं भवान्।
Word by Word
न्यस्त-शस्त्रम्one who has laid down weapons / disarmed
न्यस्त-शस्त्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootन्यस्त (√न्यस्) + शस्त्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
अधर्मेणby unrighteousness / unjustly
अधर्मेण:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअधर्म
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
घातयित्वाhaving caused to be slain / having killed (by causing)
घातयित्वा:
TypeVerb
Root√हन् (causative: घातय-)
FormAbsolutive (Gerund)
गुरुम्the teacher
गुरुम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भवान्you (honorific)
भवान्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootभवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
अजुन उवाच
Characters & Entities
A
Arjuna (speaker)G
guru (the preceptor/teacher)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even in war, dharma sets limits: killing a disarmed opponent—especially one’s revered teacher—by unfair means is condemned as adharma.
Arjuna addresses an honored person (‘bhavān’) and objects to the idea of killing the guru after he has laid down his weapons, framing such an act as an unrighteous breach of warrior ethics.