Shloka 92

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

एते हि सोमका विप्र पञ्चालाश्न यशस्विन: । मम सैन्येषु संक्रुद्धा विचरन्ति दवाग्निवत्‌,विप्रवर! वे यशस्वी पांचाल और सोमक क्रोधमें भरकर दावानलके समान मेरी सेनाओंमें विचर रहे हैं। इन्हींके साथ केकय भी हैं। महाबाहो! नरश्रेष्ठ! वे किरीटधारी अर्जुनसे सुरक्षित हो मेरी सेनाका सर्वनगाश न कर डालें। अतः पहले ही उन्हें रोको

Transliteration

ete hi somakā vipra pañcālāś ca yaśasvinaḥ | mama sainyeṣu saṅkruddhā vicaranti davāgnivat ||

Translation

Duryodhana said: “O brāhmaṇa, these renowned Somakas and Pāñcālas, inflamed with wrath, are ranging through my forces like a forest-fire. Their assault is consuming my army without restraint; therefore they must be checked at once.”

Word by Word

• {'ete': 'these (people)', 'hi': 'indeed, surely', 'somakāḥ': 'the Somakas (a Yādava-linked clan

• allies of the Pāñcālas and Pāṇḍavas)', 'vipra': 'O brāhmaṇa

• learned priest/counselor (vocative)', 'pañcālāḥ': 'the Pāñcālas (people/kingdom of Pāñcāla)', 'ca': 'and', 'yaśasvinaḥ': 'famous, illustrious, renowned', 'mama': 'my', 'sainyeṣu': 'in the armies/among the troops (locative plural)', 'saṅkruddhāḥ': 'enraged, furious', 'vicaranti': 'they roam, move about, range', 'davāgnivat': 'like a wildfire/forest-fire (simile)'}

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Somakas
• Pāñcālas
• Kaurava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a ruler’s ethical burden in war: unchecked anger and momentum can devastate an army like wildfire, so leadership must respond swiftly with restraint and strategy rather than denial or delay.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana reports that the Somakas and Pāñcālas are attacking his troops fiercely and moving through his ranks like a forest-fire, urging immediate action to stop their destructive advance.