Shloka 25

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

मृदज्रानकनिह्वदिर्सझरै: पटहैस्तथा

Transliteration

mṛdaṅgānaka-nihvādaiḥ sa-jharaiḥ paṭahais tathā

Translation

قال سانجيا: «ثم ارتفع دويٌّ مدوٍّ—دويُّ مِردَنْغا (mṛdaṅga) وآناكا (ānaka)، ودويُّ جهارا (jhara)، وكذلك دويُّ پَطَهَة (paṭaha) طبولِ الحرب.» تُبرز الآية كيف تُضخّم آلاتُ ساحةِ القتالِ العزمَ الجماعيَّ والرهبة، مُعلنةً تصاعدَ الصراع وثِقَلَ الزخمِ الحربيِّ أخلاقيًّا.

Word by Word

• मृदङ्गानां: of drums (mṛdaṅgas)
• मृदङ्गानां: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कनिह्वदैः: with sounds/roars
• कनिह्वदैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिह्वद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सझरैः: with (those) having a rushing/streaming (quality)
• सझरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-झर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पटहैः: with kettle-drums (paṭahas)
• पटहैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पटह
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• mṛdaṅga (drum)
• ānaka (war-drum)
• jhara (percussion instrument)
• paṭaha (war-drum)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war is not only fought with weapons but also with sound and spectacle—drums and proclamations that stir courage, spread fear, and propel groups into action, reminding readers of the psychological and ethical gravity that accompanies collective violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the rising tumult on the battlefield: multiple kinds of drums and percussion instruments are being sounded together, indicating mobilization, heightened tension, and the onset or intensification of combat.