Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ततो5भवन्महाशब्दो राजन्‌ यौधिष्ठिरे बले । हतो राजेति योधानां समीपस्थे यतव्रते,राजन! नियम एवं व्रतका पालन करनेवाले द्रोणाचार्य युधिष्ठिरके बहुत निकट आ गये। तब उनकी सेनाके सैनिकोंमें महान्‌ हाहाकार मच गया। सब लोग कहने लगे “हाय, राजा मारे गये”

Transliteration

tato 'bhavan mahāśabdo rājan yauḍhiṣṭhire bale | hato rājeti yodhānāṃ samīpasth(e) yatavrate ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da erhob sich, o König, ein gewaltiger Aufruhr im Heer Yudhiṣṭhiras. Die nahen Krieger riefen: „Der König ist erschlagen!“—denn Droṇācārya, selbstbeherrscht und seinen Gelübden treu, war Yudhiṣṭhira sehr nahe gekommen, und Furcht und Verwirrung erfassten die Reihen.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अभवत्arose, happened

महाशब्दःa great noise, loud uproar

राजन्O king

यौधिष्ठिरेin/among (the army) of Yudhishthira

बलेin the army/force

हतःslain, killed

राजाthe king

इतिthus (quotative)

योधानाम्of the warriors/soldiers

समीपस्थेwhen (he was) nearby / in the vicinity

यतव्रतेin/near the self-restrained one (of firm vows)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Yudhiṣṭhira

Droṇācārya

Yudhiṣṭhira’s army (Pāṇḍava forces)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly fear and unverified reports can destabilize an army and its morale; even the approach of a disciplined, formidable opponent can trigger rumor-driven panic, showing the ethical importance of steadiness, discernment, and responsible speech in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa comes very close to Yudhiṣṭhira on the battlefield; seeing this, nearby soldiers in Yudhiṣṭhira’s army raise a loud outcry, believing and proclaiming that the king has been killed.