Shloka 16

Devanagari script

तमुद्यतं रथेनैकमाशुकारिणमाहवे । अनेकमिव संत्रासान्मेनिरे तत्र कौरवा:,राजा ट्रुपदने कौरवोंको देखकर उनपर सब ओरसे धावा बोल दिया और बाणोंका बड़ा भारी जाल-सा बिछाकर कौरव-सेनाको मूर्च्छित कर दिया। युद्धमें फुर्ती दिखानेवाले राजा द्रपद रथपर बैठकर यद्यपि अकेले ही बाण-वर्षा कर रहे थे, तो भी अत्यन्त भयके कारण कौरव उन्हें अनेक-सा मानने लगे

Transliteration

tam udyataṁ rathenaikam āśukāriṇam āhave | anekam iva saṁtrāsān menire tatra kauravāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing him charging forth—alone in his chariot, swift in battle—the Kauravas there, overwhelmed by fear, imagined him to be as though many. The scene underscores how courage and martial skill can magnify a single warrior’s presence, while panic distorts perception and weakens an army’s resolve.

Word by Word

तम्him

उद्यतम्raised/ready (for action)

रथेनwith/by a chariot

एकम्alone/one

आशुकारिणम्swift-acting, quick

आहवेin battle

अनेकम्many (as if)

इवas if/like

सन्त्रासात्from fear/terror

मेनिरेthey thought/considered

तत्रthere

कौरवाःthe Kauravas

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kauravas

Drupada (implied by context)

ratha (chariot)

āhava (battlefield)

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?

Fear can distort judgment: when an army loses composure, even a single resolute warrior appears multiplied. The verse highlights the ethical-psychological dimension of warfare—steadfastness strengthens, panic weakens.

What is happening in the narrative?

A swift warrior (contextually King Drupada) advances alone in his chariot and showers attacks so effectively that the Kauravas, terrified, perceive him as if he were many fighters rather than one.