Shloka 41
Devanagari script
धावतां द्रवतां चैव पुनरावर्ततामपि
Transliteration
dhāvatāṁ dravatāṁ caiva punarāvartatām api
Translation
Sañjaya said: “(They were seen) running, fleeing, and even turning back again.”
Word by Word
धावताम्of (those) running
धावताम्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootधाव्
Formशतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
द्रवताम्of (those) fleeing/rushing
द्रवताम्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootद्रु
Formशतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
चand
च:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
पुनःagain/back
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
आवर्तताम्of (those) turning back/returning
आवर्तताम्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootआवर्त्
Formशतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं/नपुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
अपिalso/even
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line highlights the instability of human resolve under extreme pressure: in war, people surge forward, panic and flee, and then may return again—showing how fear, duty, and momentum contend within the mind.
Sañjaya is describing rapid, confused movements on the battlefield—some warriors charge, some retreat in fear, and some reverse course and come back—capturing the shifting tide of combat.