Shloka 263

Devanagari script

नैनमाशंसिरे जेतुं दानवा वासवं यथा । जैसे दानव इन्द्रको नहीं जीत सकते, वैसे ही शत्रुसैनिक शत्रुसेनाको ललकारते हुए मदस्रावी गजराजके समान द्रोणाचार्यको जीतनेका साहस नहीं कर सके

Transliteration

nainam āśaṃsire jetuṃ dānavā vāsavaṃ yathā |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Wie die Dānavas nicht hoffen konnten, Vāsava (Indra) zu besiegen, so wagten es auch die feindlichen Truppen—obwohl sie ihre Herausforderungen hinausriefen—nicht einmal zu glauben, sie könnten Droṇācārya bezwingen, der dastand wie ein vom Rausch der Brunft ergriffener Elefantenherr: überwältigend und uneinnehmbar.“

Word by Word

नnot

एनम्him

आशंसिरेhoped/expected

जेतुम्to conquer

दानवाःthe Dānavas (demons)

वासवम्Vāsava (Indra)

यथाas/just as

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇācārya

Vāsava (Indra)

Dānavas

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 the ethical and psychological dimension of war: a warrior’s established might and stature can deter aggression, showing that victory is shaped not only by weapons but also by confidence, reputation, and the perceived righteousness or authority of a leader.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the opposing soldiers, despite their loud challenges, could not even hope to defeat Droṇācārya. He is compared to Indra, whom the Dānavas cannot conquer—emphasizing Droṇa’s overwhelming dominance at this point in the battle.