Shloka 18

Droṇa’s Rebuke to Duryodhana after Jayadratha’s Fall (द्रोणेन दुर्योधनं प्रति प्रत्युक्तिः)

Devanagari script

तयोरभावे कुरव: कृतार्था: स्युर्वयं जिता: । ते यूयं सहिता भूत्वा तूर्णमेव बलार्णवम्‌

Transliteration

tayor abhāve kuravaḥ kṛtārthāḥ syur vayaṁ jitāḥ | te yūyaṁ sahitā bhūtvā tūṛṇam eva balārṇavam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “If those two are brought down, the Kauravas will have gained their end, and we shall be defeated. Therefore, all of you, united, quickly press on to confront that ocean-like host of strength.”

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री/नपुं, षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• अभावे: in the absence
• अभावे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• कुरवः: the Kurus
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कृतार्थाः: having achieved their purpose / successful
• कृतार्थाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्युः: would be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम, बहुवचन

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जिताः: defeated
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सहिता: united / together
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह् (धातु) → सहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्यय-भाव), कर्तरि

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (निपात)

• बलार्णवम्: the ocean of (enemy) forces / the sea of strength
• बलार्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलार्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kauravas
• balārṇava (vast army/host)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses strategic clarity and collective action: when key protectors are lost, defeat becomes imminent; therefore unity and swift, coordinated response are essential in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an urgent assessment to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: if ‘those two’ crucial figures fall, the Kauravas’ objective is fulfilled and the speaker’s side will be overcome; hence the warriors are urged to unite and rapidly face the massive opposing force.