Shloka 13

Ulūka’s Provocative Envoy-Speech in the Pāṇḍava Camp

Ulūka-dūta-vākya

Devanagari script

स्थिरो भूत्वा महाप्राज्ञ सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्‌ | यथाभूतं महायुद्धे श्रुव्वा चैकमना भव

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | sthiro bhūtvā mahāprājña sarvalokakṣayodayam | yathābhūtaṃ mahāyuddhe śrutvā caikamano bhava, mahāmate ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—మహాప్రాజ్ఞా! స్థిరంగా ఉండి వినుము. ఈ మహాయుద్ధంలో యథార్థంగా జరిగినదంతా—సర్వలోకనాశోదయాన్ని సూచించునది—ఒకాగ్రచిత్తంతో వినుము; విని కలత చెందకుము.

Word by Word

• स्थिरः: steady, composed
• स्थिरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• महाप्राज्ञ: O very wise one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाप्राज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्: the rise/occurrence of the destruction of all worlds/peoples
• सर्वलोकक्षयोदयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वलोकक्षयोदय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथाभूतम्: as it actually happened
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथाभूत

• महायुद्धे: in the great war
• महायुद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एकमनाः: single-minded, attentive
• एकमनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकमनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भव: be (become)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महामते: O great-minded one
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse urges disciplined listening and inner steadiness: when confronted with catastrophic or morally weighty news, one should remain composed and attend to the truth as it is, without agitation. Ethical clarity begins with a mind that can hear facts without being overwhelmed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya prepares a wise listener to receive a factual report of the great war’s events—so grave that they are described as heralding destruction on a universal scale. He frames the coming narration as truthful (yathābhūtam) and asks for one-pointed attention.