Mahabharata — Ashvamedhika Parva, Shloka 24

अर्जुन–उलूपीसंवादः

Arjuna and Ulūpī: Explanation of Śānti and the Maṇipūra Resolution

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठटिरस्य संदेशो न हन्तव्या नूपा इति । तेन जीवसि राजंस्त्वमपराद्धो5पि मे रणे

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Yudhiṣṭhirasya saṃdeśo na hantavyā nṛpā iti | tena jīvasi rājan tvam aparāddho 'pi me raṇe ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“这是由提施提罗的命令：‘不可杀诸王。’因此，噢，国王，纵然你在战斗中冒犯了我，你仍得以活命——因为我遵从了那道戒令。”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरस्य: of Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• संदेशः: message/command
• संदेशः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• हन्तव्याः: to be killed / should be killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: gerundive (tavya), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• तेन: therefore / by that (reason)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• जीवसि: you live / you are alive
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव्
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• अपराद्धः: having offended / guilty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपराध्
• Form: past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even / although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• मे: of me / against me
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• rājan (an unnamed king addressed)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, dharma can impose restraints: Yudhiṣṭhira’s instruction forbids the killing of kings, emphasizing ethical limits and self-control over vengeance.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker explains why an addressed king remains alive despite having committed an offense in battle: the survivor’s life is spared because Yudhiṣṭhira had issued an order not to kill kings.