SanskritIASTMeaning
सूत उवाचsūta uvācaSuta said
जानार्दने न मे मोहः न अपि मे भयम् आविशत्jānārdane na me mohaḥ na api me bhayam āviśatO Janardana, no bewilderment came over me, nor did fear enter me
अतिभारं तु ते मन्ये शाल्वं केशवनन्दनatibhāraṃ tu te manye śālvaṃ keśavanandanabut I consider Shalva too heavy a burden for you, O joy of Keshava
सः अपयामि शनैः वीर बलवान् एष पापकृत्saḥ apayāmi śanaiḥ vīra balavān eṣa pāpakṛttherefore I retreat slowly, O hero; this evildoer is powerful
मोहितः च रणे शूरः रक्ष्यः सारथिना रथीmohitaḥ ca raṇe śūraḥ rakṣyaḥ sārathinā rathīand a heroic charioteer-warrior, bereft of consciousness in battle, must be protected by his charioteer
आयुष्मन् त्वम् मया नित्यं रक्षितव्यः त्वया अपि अहम्āyuṣman tvam mayā nityaṃ rakṣitavyaḥ tvayā api ahamO long-lived one, you must always be protected by me, and I by you
रक्षितव्यः रथी नित्यम् इति कृत्वा अपयामि अहम्rakṣitavyaḥ rathī nityam iti kṛtvā apayāmi ahamthe warrior must always be protected; thinking thus, I retreated
एकः च असि महाबाहो बहवः च अपि दानवाःekaḥ ca asi mahābāho bahavaḥ ca api dānavāḥyou are alone, O mighty-armed one, while the danavas are many
न समं रौक्मिणेय अहम् रणं मत्वा अपयामि अहम्na samaṃ raukmiṇeya aham raṇaṃ matvā apayāmi ahamdeeming the fight unequal, O son of Rukmini, I retreated
मोहोmohooriginal form “moho”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नापिnāpioriginal form “nāpi”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सोsooriginal form “so”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽपयामि'payāmioriginal form “'payāmi”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शनैर्śanairoriginal form “śanair”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मोहितश्mohitaśoriginal form “mohitaś”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
शूरोśūrooriginal form “śūro”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
आयुष्मंस्āyuṣmaṃsoriginal form “āyuṣmaṃs”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वंtvaṃoriginal form “tvaṃ”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रक्षितव्यस्rakṣitavyasoriginal form “rakṣitavyas”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
त्वयाप्य्tvayāpyoriginal form “tvayāpy”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रक्षितव्योrakṣitavyooriginal form “rakṣitavyo”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
कृत्वापयाम्य्kṛtvāpayāmyoriginal form “kṛtvāpayāmy”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
एकश्ekaśoriginal form “ekaś”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चासिcāsioriginal form “cāsi”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
बहवश्bahavaśoriginal form “bahavaś”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
चापिcāpioriginal form “cāpi”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नसमंnasamaṃoriginal form “nasamaṃ”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
रौक्मिणेयाहंraukmiṇeyāhaṃoriginal form “raukmiṇeyāhaṃ”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
मत्वापयाम्य्matvāpayāmyoriginal form “matvāpayāmy”, added to complete the word-by-word coverage
The charioteer speaks not the language of cowardice but the language of service. He weighs not only the honor of the moment but the preservation of the life entrusted to him. The dharma of war has room not only for the blow struck but for responsibility toward the one placed in your care.