Shloka 5

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनं विकर्ण च सनागमिव यूथपम्‌ | प्रभग्नमब्रवीद्‌ भीतं राजपुत्रं महाबल:,उसीने कृपाचार्य, द्रोणाचार्य, अश्वत्थामा, कर्ण, भीष्म और दुर्योधन--इन छहों महारथियोंको अपने बाणोंसे मारकर युद्धसे भगा दिया। वहाँ जैसे यूथयति गजराज अपने झुंडके हाथियोंसहित भागा जाता हो, उसी प्रकार दुर्योधन और विकर्ण आदि राजपुत्र भयभीत होकर भागने लगे; तब उस महाबली देवपुत्रने दुर्योधनसे कहा--

Transliteration

uttara uvāca |

duryodhanaṁ vikarṇaṁ ca sanāgam iva yūthapam |

prabhagnam abravīd bhītaṁ rājaputraṁ mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Uttara sprach: „Als Duryodhana und Vikarṇa—wie ein Leitelefant, der mit seiner Herde flieht—geschlagen und in Furcht davonstürmten, wandte sich jener überaus mächtige Krieger an den erschrockenen Prinzen.“

Word by Word

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana (as object)

विकर्णम्Vikarna (as object)

चand

सनागम्with (his) elephants/with the herd

इवlike, as if

यूथपम्a leader of a herd (elephant-leader)

प्रभग्नम्broken, routed, put to flight

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

भीतम्frightened

राजपुत्रम्the prince (king’s son)

महाबलःthe mighty one

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

Duryodhana

Vikarṇa

rājaputra (a prince)

yūthapa (herd-leader elephant, simile)

nāga (elephant/troop, in simile)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical contrast between true strength and mere status: in war, arrogance collapses when confronted by superior valor, and fear reveals the limits of pride. It also underscores kṣatriya-dharma ideals—steadfastness and composure—by depicting the shame of panic-driven flight.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being routed, Duryodhana and Vikarṇa flee in fear, compared to a leading elephant retreating with its herd. At that moment, a mighty warrior addresses the frightened prince, setting up the next speech/action in the episode.