Shloka 16
Śoka-śamana: Kṛṣṇa’s Consolation and Nārada’s Exempla to Sṛñjaya
Chapter 29
Devanagari script
मृतान् महानुभावांस्त्व॑ श्रुव्वैव पृथिवीपतीन्
Transliteration
mṛtān mahānubhāvāṁs tvaṁ śrutvaiva pṛthivīpatīn
Translation
当你听闻那些伟大心灵的君王——大地之主——也已逝去，你便被这消息的沉重所击中；此句唤起对死亡的伦理震撼，并使人清醒地认识到：纵然权势至极，亦不能超越死神。
Word by Word
मृतान्dead
मृतान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमृत (√मृ)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
महानुभावान्great-souled, illustrious
महानुभावान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहानुभाव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
त्वyou
त्व:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootत्वम्
Form—, Nominative, Singular
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
TypeVerb
Root√श्रु
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), —, —
एवindeed, just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
पृथिवीपतीन्lords of the earth, kings
पृथिवीपतीन्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपृथिवीपति
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyudeva (speaker)P
pṛthivīpati (kings, lords of the earth)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores impermanence: even great kings and powerful rulers are subject to death. Ethically, it invites humility, restraint in pride, and a dharmic perspective that measures life by right conduct rather than worldly status.
Vāyudeva addresses the listener, pointing to the impact of hearing that eminent kings have died. The statement functions as a reflective prompt—turning attention from worldly greatness to the reality of death and the moral seriousness it demands.