Shloka 12
Devanagari script
न हि साम्ना न दानेन शक््योडर्थस्तेषु कश्नन | तस्मात् तेषु न कर्तव्या कृपा ते मधुसूदन
Transliteration
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
na hi sāmnā na dānena śakyo 'rthas teṣu kaścana |
tasmāt teṣu na kartavyā kṛpā te madhusūdana ||
Translation
毗湿摩波耶那说道：“对他们而言，无论以和解之道，还是以馈赠之策，都不能成就任何目的。因此，噢，摩度苏陀那，不可对他们施以怜悯。”
Word by Word
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
हिindeed/for
हि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि
साम्नाby conciliation/peaceful means
साम्ना:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसामन्
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
नnor/not
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
दानेनby gift/bribery
दानेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootदान
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
शक्यःpossible/feasible
शक्यः:
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अर्थःpurpose/aim (desired result)
अर्थः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तेषुamong/in them
तेषु:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural
कश्चनanyone/anything at all
कश्चन:
TypePronoun
Rootकश्चन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्मात्therefore/from that
तस्मात्:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular
तेषुtowards/in them
तेषु:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Plural
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
कर्तव्याto be done/should be done
कर्तव्या:
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (कृञ्) + तव्य
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
कृपाcompassion/mercy
कृपा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकृपा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
तेto you/for you
ते:
Sampradana
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormDative, Singular
मधुसूदनO slayer of Madhu (Krishna)
मधुसूदन:
TypeNoun
Rootमधुसूदन
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaM
Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa)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
When peaceful measures like conciliation (sāma) and gifts (dāna) cannot reform or restrain certain people, showing them pity becomes counterproductive; dharma may require firmness rather than indulgent mercy.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, the speaker frames the failure of diplomatic tools and advises Kṛṣṇa (Madhusūdana) that compassion toward such opponents is not appropriate, signaling a turn from negotiation toward decisive action.