Shloka 26

Adhyāya 41 — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Briefing and the Renewal of the Great Engagement

Devanagari script

योत्स्याम्येनं शल्य धनंजयं वै मृत्युं पुरस्कृत्य रणे जयं वा

Transliteration

yotsyāmy enaṃ śalya dhanañjayaṃ vai mṛtyuṃ puraskṛtya raṇe jayaṃ vā

Translation

桑阇耶说道：“我将与他——檀那阇耶——交战，哦舍利耶，在战场上把死亡置于身前；否则，我便夺取胜利。”

Word by Word

• योत्स्यामि: I shall fight
• योत्स्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Luṭ (Periphrastic Future), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शल्य: O Śalya
• शल्य: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धनंजयम्: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front; keeping in view
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Tumun/ktvā-type), Parasmaipada (usage)

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

• जयम्: victory
• जयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śalya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• mṛtyu (death)
• raṇa (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse expresses the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast resolve: one enters battle accepting death as a possible and even foremost outcome, yet still aiming at righteous victory—acting without retreat when duty demands.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa Parva war setting, a warrior’s determination to confront Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) is reported by Sañjaya, addressing Śalya, emphasizing a do-or-die commitment: either death will come first, or victory will be secured.