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Shloka 18

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya

Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance

न तादृशं रणे कर्म कृतवन्तस्तु तावका:

na tādṛśaṃ raṇe karma kṛtavantastu tāvakāḥ

Sañjaya said: In the battle, your own warriors performed no deed of that kind—none that could match such a feat.

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
तादृशम्such (of that kind)
तादृशम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootतादृश
Formneuter, accusative, singular
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
Formmasculine, locative, singular
कर्मdeed, act
कर्म:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकर्मन्
Formneuter, accusative, singular
कृतवन्तःdid, performed
कृतवन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृतवत्
Formperfect/periphrastic perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद-पर्यायः), third, plural, masculine, nominative
तुbut, indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तावकाःyour men; your side (Kauravas)
तावकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतावक
Formmasculine, nominative, plural

संजय उवाच

संजय (Sañjaya)
तावकाः (the Kaurava side)

Educational Q&A

Extraordinary outcomes in war arise from exceptional action—skill, resolve, and disciplined conduct—rather than from mere affiliation or force of numbers; Sañjaya’s comparison implicitly critiques complacency and highlights the ethical weight of purposeful action (karma) in a dharmic narrative.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, contrasting a remarkable exploit on the battlefield with the performance of the Kaurava forces, stating that ‘your side’ did not accomplish anything comparable in that moment.