Shloka 31

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

सा निशी्थे महाराज सेनादृश्यत भारती

Transliteration

sā niśīthe mahārāja senā dṛśyata bhāratī

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O great king, in the deep of night the Bhārata host became visible (again),” indicating a tense nocturnal moment in the war where darkness, fear, and vigilance shape what can be perceived and how commanders must act responsibly amid uncertainty.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (f.)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• निशीथे: at midnight
• निशीथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशीथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सेना: the army
• सेना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

• भारती: Bhāratī (Sarasvatī / speech-goddess)
• भारती: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Bhārata army (Kaurava/Pāṇḍava host collectively)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war and crisis, perception is fragile—especially at night—so leaders must act with restraint and discernment, aware that uncertainty can magnify fear and error.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, at midnight, the Bhārata host becomes visible, marking a critical nocturnal phase of the battle where movements and formations are being observed despite darkness.