Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सूताभिजानीहि स्वकान्‌ परान्‌ वा रथान्‌ ध्वजांश्वञापतत: समेतान्‌ । युद्धवन्‌ हाहं नाभिजानामि किंचि- न्मा सैन्यं स्वं छादयिष्ये पृषत्कै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

sūtābhijānīhi svakān parān vā rathān dhvajāṃś cāpatataḥ sametān |

yuddhavan hāhaṃ nābhijānāmi kiñcin mā sainyaṃ svaṃ chādayiṣye pṛṣatkaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“苏多啊，快辨认——是我方还是敌方——那些一齐冲来的战车与旗帜。因为在战斗的炽热之中，我已不识‘我’与‘彼’；莫让我的箭矢反而遮覆了自家军队。”

Word by Word

• सूत: O charioteer
• सूत: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अभिजानीहि: recognize, identify
• अभिजानीहि: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (अभि-)
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्वकान्: one's own (men)
• स्वकान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परान्: others, enemies
• परान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ध्वजान्: banners, standards
• ध्वजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• आपततः: of (those) rushing/advancing
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (आ-√पत्)
• Form: Shatr (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• समेतान्: assembled, together
• समेतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समेत (सम्-इ + क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• युद्धवन्: while fighting / engaged in battle
• युद्धवन्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हा: alas!
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

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

• अभिजानामि: I recognize/know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (अभि-)
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किञ्चित्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मा: lest; do not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• स्वम्: one's own
• स्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• छादयिष्ये: I may cover/veil
• Type: Verb
• Root: छाद् (छादय्)
• Form: Simple Future, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• पृषत्कैः: with arrows
• पृषत्कैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृषत्क
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• sūta (charioteer)
• ratha (chariots)
• dhvaja (banners/standards)
• sainya (army)
• pṛṣatka (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid the frenzy of war, a fighter must preserve discernment and avoid harming one’s own side; ethical restraint requires verification before striking.

What is happening in the narrative?

As chariots and standards surge together in a chaotic charge, the speaker urges the charioteer to identify whether the approaching forces are allies or enemies, fearing accidental attack on their own troops.