Shloka 78

Devanagari script

पितामहवच: श्रुत्वा तथा चक्कु: सम कौरवा: | उपायेनापयानं ते घटोत्कचभयार्दिता:,पितामह भीष्मकी यह बात सुनकर कौरवोंने उपाय-पूर्वक युद्धसे हट जाना स्वीकार कर लिया; क्‍योंकि उस समय वे घटोत्कचके भयसे पीड़ित थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pitāmahavacaḥ śrutvā tathā cakṣuḥ-sama kauravāḥ | upāyenāpayānaṃ te ghaṭotkaca-bhayārditāḥ ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: Hearing the words of the Grandsire (Bhishma), the Kauravas—keeping a watchful eye on the situation—agreed to withdraw from the battle in a strategic manner, for at that time they were distressed and shaken by fear of Ghatotkaca.

Word by Word

पितामहवचःthe grandsire's words

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

तथाthus/so

चand

चक्रुःthey did/made

सम्together/wholly (as a preverb-like particle here)

कौरवाःthe Kauravas

उपायेनby a means/strategy

अपयानम्withdrawal/retreat

तेthey

घटोत्कचभयार्दिताःafflicted by fear of Ghaṭotkaca

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma (Pitāmaha)

Kauravas

Ghaṭotkaca

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 underscores battlefield prudence: counsel from an elder commander (Bhīṣma) can restrain impulsive valor, and strategic withdrawal may be ethically preferable to futile slaughter when conditions are unfavorable and fear has destabilized troops.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, after hearing Bhīṣma’s words, the Kauravas consent to pull back from the fight by a calculated means, because Ghaṭotkaca’s terrifying prowess has thrown them into fear and distress.