Shloka 121

आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः

Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition

Devanagari script

महारथानां वीराणां कदनं च करिष्यति । सर्वेषामेव शत्रूणां चतुर्थाशं नयिष्यति

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | mahārathānāṃ vīrāṇāṃ kadanaṃ ca kariṣyati | sarveṣām eva śatrūṇāṃ caturthāṃśaṃ nayiṣyati |

Translation

“وہ بڑے بڑے مہارتھی سورماؤں کا قَتلِ عام کرے گا اور تمام دشمنوں کے چوتھے حصّے کو موت کے دیس میں پہنچا دے گا۔”

Word by Word

• महारथानाम्: of the great chariot-warriors
• महारथानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वीराणाम्: of the heroes
• वीराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कदनम्: slaughter, destruction
• कदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• करिष्यति: will do / will cause
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शत्रूणाम्: of the enemies
• शत्रूणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चतुर्थांशम्: a fourth part
• चतुर्थांशम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थांश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नयिष्यति: will lead / will take
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Abhimanyu
• Yama (realm of death implied by 'send')
• Mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• Enemies (śatrus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the paradox of warrior duty: exceptional valor may be destined and even necessary for a larger righteous outcome, yet it manifests as devastating violence. It implicitly urges reflection on dharma in war—courage and skill do not erase the moral weight of destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports a prediction about a great hero (contextually Abhimanyu): he will cause heavy casualties among elite warriors and eliminate a quarter of the enemy force, foreshadowing intense battle events and their consequences.