Shloka 32
Pradyumna–Śālva Missile-Exchange at Saubha (Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 18)
Devanagari script
कदापि सूतपुत्र त्वं जानीषे मां भयार्दितम् । अपयातं रणं हित्वा यथा कापुरुषं तथा,'सूतपुत्र! क्या तू मुझे कायरोंकी तरह भयसे पीड़ित और युद्ध छोड़कर भागा हुआ समझता है?
Transliteration
kadāpi sūtaputra tvaṃ jānīṣe māṃ bhayārditam | apayātaṃ raṇaṃ hitvā yathā kāpuruṣaṃ tathā |
Translation
风神伐由说道：“车夫之子啊，你竟会以为我被恐惧所制，弃战场而逃，像个懦夫一般吗？”
Word by Word
कदाwhen
कदा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदा
अपिeven/also
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
सूतपुत्रO son of a charioteer
सूतपुत्र:
TypeNoun
Rootसूतपुत्र
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
त्वम्you
त्वम्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
FormNominative, Singular
जानीषेyou know/think (of)
जानीषे:
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा
FormPresent, Second, Singular, Atmanepada
माम्me
माम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootअस्मद्
FormAccusative, Singular
भयार्दितम्afflicted by fear
भयार्दितम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootभयार्दित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अपयातम्gone away, fled
अपयातम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootअप-या
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
रणम्battle
रणम्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
हित्वाhaving abandoned
हित्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootहा
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
यथाas/like
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
कापुरुषम्a coward
कापुरुषम्:
TypeNoun
Rootकापुरुष
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तथाso/thus
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
Speaker
वायुदेव उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
Vāyudeva (Wind-god)S
sūtaputra (addressed person: ‘son of a charioteer’)R
raṇa (battlefield)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds the ethic of steadfast courage: abandoning one’s duty out of fear is condemned as cowardice, while true honor lies in not retreating from rightful struggle.
Vāyudeva addresses someone pointedly as ‘sūtaputra’ and rejects any suspicion that he would flee the battlefield in fear, framing retreat-from-battle as the behavior of a coward.