Shloka 24

Devanagari script

स वध्यमान: समरे शैनेयस्य शरोत्तमै: । प्राद्रवत्‌ सहसा राजन पुत्रो दुर्योधनस्तव

Transliteration

sa vadhyamānaḥ samare śaineyasya śarottamaiḥ | prādravat sahasā rājan putro duryodhanas tava ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Struck hard in the press of battle by Śaineya’s finest arrows, your son Duryodhana suddenly fled, O King.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वध्यमानः: being struck/killed (being attacked)
• वध्यमानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शानच् (present passive participle)

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शैनेयस्य: of Śaineya (Sātyaki)
• शैनेयस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैनेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शर-उत्तमैः: with excellent arrows
• शर-उत्तमैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्राद्रवत्: ran forth/ran away
• प्राद्रवत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सहसा: suddenly, hastily
• सहसा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Duryodhana
• Shaineya (Satyaki)
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension in war: valor is expected of a kṣatriya, yet fear and self-preservation can overtake even the powerful. It implicitly contrasts dharmic steadiness with the instability that follows from pride and unrighteous ambition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Duryodhana, overwhelmed by Śaineya (Satyaki) and pierced by his excellent arrows, suddenly ran from the battlefield.