Shloka 11

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Remorse and Vyāsa’s Teaching on Impermanence (Śoka-nivāraṇa)

Devanagari script

स्वयं मृत्युं रक्षमाण: पाञ्चाल्यं यः शिखण्डिनम्‌ । न बाणै: पातयामास सोअ3र्जुनेन निपातित:

Transliteration

svayaṃ mṛtyuṃ rakṣamāṇaḥ pāñcālyaṃ yaḥ śikhaṇḍinam | na bāṇaiḥ pātayāmāsa so 'rjunena nipātitaḥ ||

Translation

尤提士提罗说道：“那位仿佛在守护死神本身的人，庇护了般遮罗王子尸佉檀荼，并未以箭矢将他射倒——正是那位祖父，被阿周那击落。”

Word by Word

• स्वयम्: himself
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम्

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

• रक्षमाणः: protecting
• रक्षमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाञ्चाल्यम्: the Panchala prince (Shikhandin)
• पाञ्चाल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पातयामास: caused to fall / felled
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: लिट् (periphrastic perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिच्)

• सः: he (that one)
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनेन: by Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निपातितः: felled / brought down
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Arjuna
• Bhīṣma (implied by 'pitāmaha' in the accompanying sense)
• Pāñcāla

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between personal vows and battlefield duty: Bhīṣma’s refusal to strike Śikhaṇḍin (due to his principles and prior knowledge of Śikhaṇḍin’s identity/history) becomes the very condition that enables his fall, showing how dharma-based restraint can shape outcomes even in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the moment Bhīṣma, treating Śikhaṇḍin as untouchable, protects him and does not shoot him; using Śikhaṇḍin as a screen, Arjuna then shoots Bhīṣma and brings him down.