Shloka 6

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

ततो<5थ वचन स्मृत्वा भ्रातुर्ज्येष्लस्थ भारत । न हन्तव्या रणे तात क्षत्रिया विजिगीषव:

Transliteration

tato 'tha vacanaṃ smṛtvā bhrātur jyeṣṭhasya bhārata | na hantavyā raṇe tāta kṣatriyā vijigīṣavaḥ ||

Translation

于是，噢婆罗多，阿周那忆起长兄之言，心中思量：“亲者啊，战场之上，求胜的刹帝利不当被杀。”记起此训，他权衡如何在征战与征服的逼迫之中，仍守持合乎正法的克制。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अथ: then/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• वचनम्: speech/statement
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ
• Form: क्त्वा, Active, Absolutive (having remembered)

• भ्रातुः: of (his) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• ज्येष्ठस्य: of the eldest
• ज्येष्ठस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• भारत: O Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• हन्तव्याः: should be killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: तव्यत्, Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Passive/Obligative, to be killed/should be killed

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तात: O dear/son
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas/warriors
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विजिगीषवः: desirous of victory
• विजिगीषवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजिगीषु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Bhārata (addressee, traditionally Janamejaya)
• Arjuna
• Yudhiṣṭhira (eldest brother, implied by jyeṣṭha-bhrātṛ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma can require restraint: those kṣatriyas who are merely striving for victory are not to be slain, implying a preference for subduing or defeating without unnecessary killing, in obedience to righteous counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Arjuna, after addressing opponents and recalling his elder brother’s instruction, pauses to reflect on how to act in a way that secures victory while avoiding wrongful slaughter.