Shloka 383

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya

Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance

Devanagari script

निषसाद रथोपस्थे भृशं सम्मूढचेतन: । कानोंतक खींचकर चलाये हुए उस बाणसे घायल हो कुरुवंशी दुर्योधन अत्यन्त मूर्च्छित हो गया और रथके पिछले भागमें धम्मसे बैठ गया

Transliteration

niṣasāda rathopasthe bhṛśaṃ sammūḍhacetanāḥ |

Translation

قال سانجيا: لما أصابته السهم واضطرب ذهنه اضطرابًا شديدًا، سقط دوريودhana—سليل سلالة الكورو—في غشية عميقة وانهار بثقل على مؤخرة عربته. ويُبرز المشهد كيف يمكن في الحرب أن تُحطَّم عزيمة ملكٍ متكبّر في لحظة، كاشفًا هشاشة السلطان وفداحة الثمن الإنساني لصراعٍ تسوقه الأدهرما.

Word by Word

• निषसाद: sat down
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (सीदति) + नि
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रथोपस्थे: on the seat of the chariot
• रथोपस्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + उपस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भृशम्: excessively, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृश

• सम्मूढचेतनः: one whose consciousness was utterly bewildered (stunned)
• सम्मूढचेतनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्मूढ + चेतन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Kuru lineage (Kuravaṃśa)
• chariot
• arrow

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of martial pride and political power: in a moment, injury and shock can reduce a mighty king to helplessness. Ethically, it points to the heavy cost of a war pursued through adharma—where ambition and hostility culminate in suffering and loss of agency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, struck by an arrow and mentally overwhelmed, loses consciousness and collapses onto the rear portion of his chariot, indicating a sudden turning point in the immediate combat situation.