Shloka 253

भूरिश्रवसः गर्हा, प्रायोपवेशः, सात्यकिकृतशिरच्छेदः

Bhūriśravas’s Censure, Prāyopaveśa, and Sātyaki’s Beheading

Devanagari script

ग्रस्यमानं सात्यकिना खे सोममिव राहुणा । जैसे आकाशमें राहु चन्द्रमापर ग्रहण लगाता है, उसी प्रकार सात्यकिद्वारा राजा दुर्योधनको ग्रस्त होते देख वहाँ सब लोगोंमें हाहाकार मच गया

Transliteration

grasyamānaṃ sātyakinā khe somam iva rāhuṇā |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Wie der Mond am Himmel während der Finsternis von Rāhu ergriffen wird, so schien Duryodhana von Sātyaki überwältigt. Als man den König so gleichsam verschlungen sah, erhob sich unter allen Anwesenden ein Aufschrei der Angst und Klage.

Word by Word

• ग्रस्यमानम्: being seized/being devoured
• ग्रस्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसक, द्वितीया, एकवचन, शानच् (वर्तमान कर्मणि/मध्यस्थ भावे), कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थक

• सात्यकिना: by Sātyaki
• सात्यकिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• खे: in the sky
• खे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सोमम्: the Moon
• सोमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• राहुणा: by Rāhu
• राहुणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)
• Duryodhana
• Soma (the Moon)
• Rāhu
• kha (sky)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses the eclipse image to highlight the fragility of power in battle: when a leader is suddenly threatened, collective morale collapses. Ethically, it points to the consequences of adharma-driven ambition—security based on force can be eclipsed in an instant.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki is pressing Duryodhana so hard that it looks like Duryodhana is being ‘swallowed’—like the Moon during an eclipse by Rāhu. Witnessing this, the surrounding warriors and onlookers erupt in a general outcry.