Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ततस्ते पार्थिवा: सर्वे प्रगुहीतशरासना: । सहसैन्या: समापेतु: पुत्रस्य तव शासनात्‌,तदनन्तर आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनकी आज्ञासे अन्य सब राजा भी हाथमें धनुष-बाण लिये सेनाओंसहित वहाँ आ पहुँचे

Transliteration

tatas te pārthivāḥ sarve pragṛhīta-śarāsanāḥ | saha-sainyāḥ samāpetuḥ putrasya tava śāsanāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, at your son’s command, all those kings—bows in hand and weapons readied—arrived there together, each accompanied by his own troops.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तेthose (they)

पार्थिवाःkings

सर्वेall

प्रगुहीत-शरासनाःhaving taken up bows and arrows (lit. bows)

सहtogether with

सैन्याःwith armies

समापेतुःarrived, came together

पुत्रस्यof (your) son

तवof you, your

शासनात्from the command/at the order

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhritarashtra

Duryodhana

kings (pārthivāḥ)

bows and arrows (śarāsana)

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?

The verse highlights how command and loyalty can rapidly mobilize violence: rulers, bound by allegiance or ambition, assemble armed forces at a single order. Ethically, it points to the danger of unexamined obedience when leadership is driven by adharma, and how collective responsibility forms in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that, following Duryodhana’s instruction, the allied kings arrive at the battlefield with bows ready and with their troops, indicating the consolidation of the Kaurava side’s military strength just before major engagements.