Shloka 14

अर्जुन-माहात्म्य-चिन्ता

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Arjuna’s Strategic Supremacy

Devanagari script

शेषयेदशनिर्दीप्तो विपतन्‌ मूर्थ्नि संजय

Transliteration

śeṣayed aśanir dīpto vipatan mūrdhni saṃjaya

Translation

ధృతరాష్ట్రుడు అన్నాడు—ఓ సంజయా, మండుతున్న వజ్రం నా తలపై పడినా కొంతైనా మిగిలేది; కానీ నీవు తెచ్చిన వార్తలు నన్ను అలా తాకుతున్నాయి—లోపల ఏదీ మిగలలేదనిపిస్తోంది।

Word by Word

• शेषयेत्: should leave/should make remain
• शेषयेत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शेषय् (शेष + णिच्)
• Form: Vidhi-linga, Optative (potential), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अशनिः: thunderbolt
• अशनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दीप्तः: blazing, shining
• दीप्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (√दीप्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विपतन्: falling down, descending
• विपतन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विपतत् (वि + √पत्)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on (the) head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• संजय: O Sañjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Saṃjaya
• aśani (thunderbolt)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how moral and political choices culminate in inner suffering: the fear of impending war and the weight of responsibility can wound more deeply than physical calamity, suggesting that adharma-driven decisions bring psychological ruin even before battle begins.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra reacts to Saṃjaya’s report with intense distress, using a hyperbolic image: even a thunderbolt to the head would leave some remainder, but the news overwhelms him completely—signaling dread and helplessness as the conflict approaches.