Shloka 196

Devanagari script

दुःशासनो वृत: सैन्यै: स्थितो व्यूहस्य पृष्ठत: । व्यूहके पृष्ठभागमें पिंगल नेत्रोंवाला प्रियदर्शन दुःशासन सेनाओंसे घिरा हुआ खड़ा था। वह एक विशाल गजराजकी पीठपर विराजमान था

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

duḥśāsano vṛtaḥ sainyaiḥ sthito vyūhasya pṛṣṭhataḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Duhśāsana, von Truppen umringt, stand im hinteren Teil der Schlachtordnung. Hinter dem Aufgebot war er von den Seinen geschützt und thronte auf dem Rücken eines gewaltigen Kriegselefanten.

Word by Word

• दुःशासनः: Duhshasana
• दुःशासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (√वृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सैन्यैः: by the troops
• सैन्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• स्थितः: standing, stationed
• स्थितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (√स्था)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यूहस्य: of the battle-array
• व्यूहस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पृष्ठतः: from behind, at the rear
• पृष्ठतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठतः
• Form: true

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Duhshasana
• sainya (troops/army)
• vyuha (battle formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war operates through disciplined formations and protective encirclement; ethically, it underscores that courage and loyalty can be deployed in service of a side whose conduct is questioned, reminding readers that strategy is morally neutral while its purpose is not.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports Duhshasana’s tactical placement: he is stationed behind the main battle-array and is surrounded by supporting troops, indicating a guarded rear position within the Kaurava formation.