Shloka 40

Devanagari script

आज्ञापय कुरुश्रेष्ठ सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वर । प्रेष्यो5हं तव दुर्धर्ष क्रियतां किं पितामह

Transliteration

ājñāpaya kuruśreṣṭha sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ vara | preṣyo 'haṃ tava durdharṣa kriyatāṃ kiṃ pitāmaha ||

Translation

“请吩咐我吧，俱卢中之最胜者，诸持兵者之翘楚。噢，不可攻克的祖父啊，我是你的侍从——请示我当如何奉事？”

Word by Word

• आज्ञापय: command / order
• Type: Verb
• Root: आज्ञापय् (आज्ञा + णिच्)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 2, singular, परस्मैपदम्

• कुरुश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Kurus
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-श्रेष्ठ
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• सर्वशस्त्रभृताम्: of all weapon-bearers
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-शस्त्र-भृत्
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• वर: O best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• प्रेष्यः: servant / attendant
• प्रेष्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेष्य
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: nominative, singular

• तव: of you / your
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: genitive, singular

• दुर्धर्ष: O unconquerable one
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर्ष
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• क्रियताम्: let it be done / be done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: लोट् (imperative), 3, singular, कर्मणि (passive)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• पितामह: O grandsire
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Bhishma (Pitamaha)
• Kuru lineage (Kuruśreṣṭha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined service within dharmic hierarchy: a subordinate offers readiness to act, seeking clear instruction from the rightful commander, emphasizing responsibility, loyalty, and proper conduct amid war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya addresses Bhīṣma with honorifics, declaring himself ready as an attendant and asking for orders—positioning himself to carry out Bhīṣma’s commands in the unfolding battle context.