Shloka 16

Droṇa’s Renewed Advance toward Yudhiṣṭhira; Fall of Satyajit and Allied Recoil (द्रोणस्य युधिष्ठिरप्रेप्सा—सत्यजितः पतनम्)

Devanagari script

तस्य प्राग्ज्योतिषो मध्ये विधिवत्‌ कल्पितं गजम्‌

Transliteration

tasya prāgjyotiṣo madhye vidhivat kalpitaṃ gajam

Translation

সঞ্জয়ে ক’লে—সেই প্ৰাগ্জ্যোতিষ ব্যূহৰ একেবাৰে মাজত বিধিমতে, সামৰিক বিধান অনুসাৰে, এটা গজ সঠিকভাৱে স্থাপন কৰা হৈছিল।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: of Pragjyotiṣa (Pragjyotiṣapura)
• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun (Proper noun/place-name)
• Root: प्राग्ज्योतिष
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विधिवत्: according to rule; duly
• विधिवत्: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत्

• कल्पितम्: arranged/constructed
• कल्पितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective (Past passive participle)
• Root: कल्पित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गजम्: elephant
• गजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• प्राग्ज्योतिष (Prāgjyotiṣa formation)
• गज (war-elephant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a destructive conflict, actions are carried out with deliberate order (vidhivat). The verse highlights how warfare in the epic is not mere chaos but structured strategy—raising ethical reflection on how disciplined planning can be used for harmful ends, and why dharmic discernment matters beyond mere procedure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a tactical detail: within the center of the Prāgjyotiṣa battle-array, a war-elephant has been properly stationed, indicating a planned defensive or offensive focal point in the formation.