Shloka 58

Devanagari script

त एते धार्तराष्ट्रेषु विषक्ता: पुरुषर्षभा: । कि तिष्ठत यथा मूढा: सर्वे विगतचेतस:,“जो पुरुषशिरोमणि महारथी योद्धा हमारे प्राण और मस्तक हैं, वे ही धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंके साथ जूझ रहे हैं, फिर तुम सब लोग मूर्ख और अचेत मनुष्योंके समान यहाँ क्‍यों खड़े हो?

Transliteration

ta ete dhārtarāṣṭreṣu viṣaktāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ | kiṃ tiṣṭhata yathā mūḍhāḥ sarve vigatacetasaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Jene Helden, Stiere unter den Menschen — unser Leben und unsere Krone — sind mit den Söhnen Dhṛtarāṣṭras im Kampf verstrickt. Warum steht ihr dann hier wie Verblendete, allesamt der Entschlossenheit beraubt?“

Word by Word

तेthey/those

एतेthese

धार्तराष्ट्रेषुamong/with the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra

विषक्ताःengaged/locked (in combat)

पुरुषर्षभाःbulls among men, best of men

किम्why/what (for what reason)

तिष्ठतdo you stand

यथाas/like

मूढाःbewildered, foolish

सर्वेall

विगतचेतसःdevoid of sense/awareness, out of one’s wits

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhārtarāṣṭras (sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra; Kauravas)

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?

In the midst of war, Sañjaya rebukes passivity: when one’s foremost protectors are already engaged in peril, standing idle is a failure of duty and courage. The verse stresses presence of mind (cetas) and responsible action rather than confused inaction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports and urges: the leading heroes are already fighting the Dhārtarāṣṭra forces, and he challenges others who are hesitating or standing aside, calling them deluded and dispirited for not joining the struggle.