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

ธฤตราษฏระตรัสว่า—โอ้ สัญชัย แม้สายฟ้าอันลุกโพลงจะตกลงบนเศียรเรา ก็ยังพอมีสิ่งใดเหลืออยู่; แต่ข่าวที่เจ้าพามานั้นกระแทกเราเสียจนรู้สึกว่าในใจไม่เหลือสิ่งใดเลย

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.