Shloka 42
Devanagari script
ते तु भित्तवा तव सुतं दःशासनमयोमुखा:
Transliteration
te tu bhittvā tava sutaṃ duḥśāsanam ayomukhāḥ
Translation
Sanjaya said: But they, iron-faced and relentless, broke through and struck down your son Duḥśāsana. The line underscores the grim moral momentum of war: when violence is chosen as policy, even the mighty and infamous are not spared its consequences.
Word by Word
तेthey
ते:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
भित्त्वाhaving split/broken through
भित्त्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite
तवof you/your
तव:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
सुतम्son
सुतम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसुत
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
दुःशासनम्Duhshasana
दुःशासनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootदुःशासन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अयोमुखाःiron-faced / having iron mouths (as a descriptor of the warriors)
अयोमुखाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअयोमुख
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaD
DhṛtarāṣṭraD
DuḥśāsanaCharacter 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
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of war: once adharma and violence are unleashed, consequences return with force, and even powerful wrongdoers meet the results of their actions.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that fierce warriors—described as 'iron-faced'—break through the opposing formation and bring down Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son Duḥśāsana.