Shloka 16
Jaitrya-nimitta: Signs of Prospective Victory and the Priority of Conciliation (जयलक्षण-निमित्त तथा सान्त्व-प्रधान नीति)
Devanagari script
सम्भृत्य महतीं सेनां चतुरज्ां युधिष्ठिर । साम्नैव वर्तये: पूर्व प्रयतेथास्ततो युधि
Transliteration
sambhṛtya mahatīṃ senāṃ caturajñāṃ yudhiṣṭhira | sāmnaiva vartayethāḥ pūrvaṃ prayatethāstato yudhi ||
Translation
毗湿摩说道：“噢，坚战（Yudhiṣṭhira），既已集结庞大的四部军（象、马、车、步），当先以和解之道求成其事；其后方可在战阵中奋力。”
Word by Word
सम्भृत्यhaving gathered/assembled
सम्भृत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-भृ (धातु)
Formल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे अव्ययभावः), कर्तरि, absolutive (having done)
महतīmgreat, large
महतīm:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
सेनाम्army
सेनाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसेना (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
चतुरङ्गाम्four-limbed (with four divisions)
चतुरङ्गाम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootचतुरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
साम्नाby conciliation/peaceful means
साम्ना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
एवindeed, only
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
वर्तयेत्should proceed/act, should manage
वर्तयेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत् (धातु) / वर्तय् (णिजन्त)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, 3rd, Singular
पूर्वम्first, beforehand
पूर्वम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
प्रयतेथाःyou have striven/endeavoured
प्रयतेथाः:
TypeVerb
Rootयत् (धातु) with प्र- (प्रयत्)
Formलिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, 2nd, Singular
अथthen, thereafter
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
युधिin battle, in war
युधि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुध् (प्रातिपदिक: युध्/युधि-शब्दः)
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
Speaker
भीष्म उवाच
Characters & Entities
B
BhīṣmaY
YudhiṣṭhiraC
catur-aṅga-senā (fourfold army)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
Even when one possesses strength (a large fourfold army), dharma-guided leadership prioritizes peaceful means—conciliation and negotiation—before resorting to warfare; force is a last resort.
In the Śānti Parva, Bhīṣma instructs Yudhiṣṭhira on rājadharma (kingly conduct), advising him to attempt reconciliation first and only then, if necessary, engage in battle.