Shloka 54

Devanagari script

पश्यतस्तव पुत्रस्य कर्णस्य च रणोत्कटा: । तथा द्रोणस्य शूरस्य द्रौणेश्वैव विशाम्पते,प्रजानाथ! विजयसे उललसित होनेवाले रणोन्मत्त पाण्डव महारथी आपके पुत्र दुर्योधन, कर्ण, द्रोणाचार्य तथा शूरवीर अश्वत्थामाके देखते-देखते आपकी सेनाके सहस्रों रथियोंको परास्त करके सिंहनाद करने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | paśyatas tava putrasya karṇasya ca raṇotkaṭāḥ | tathā droṇasya śūrasya drauṇeś caiva viśāmpate prajānātha | vijayase ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, O king of men—before the very eyes of your son (Duryodhana), of Karṇa, and likewise of the heroic Droṇa and Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman), the battle-maddened Pāṇḍava great chariot-warriors routed thousands of your chariot-fighters and then roared like lions in triumph. The scene underscores how prowess and momentum in war can overturn even the confidence of renowned commanders, reminding the listener that power without righteous grounding is fragile amid the moral turbulence of battle.

Word by Word

पश्यतःwhile (he) is looking; of one who is seeing

तवyour

पुत्रस्यof (your) son

कर्णस्यof Karna

चand

रणोत्कटाःfierce in battle

तथाlikewise; also

द्रोणस्यof Drona

शूरस्यof the heroic (one)

द्रौणेश्चand of Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)

एवindeed; just

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people

प्रजानाथO protector/lord of subjects

विजयसेyou win; you are victorious

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by addresses viśāmpate, prajānātha)

Duryodhana (implied by 'your son')

Karṇa

Droṇa

Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi/Drauṇeḥ)

Pāṇḍavas (Pāṇḍava mahārathas, implied by context)

Kaurava army (your chariot-fighters, implied)

Character 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

What is the core teaching?

Even celebrated commanders and strong formations can be shaken when the opposing side gains moral and tactical momentum; the verse highlights the instability of worldly power in war and implicitly cautions a king against overreliance on might divorced from dharmic clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Pāṇḍava great chariot-warriors, in the sight of Duryodhana, Karṇa, Droṇa, and Aśvatthāman, defeat large numbers of Kaurava chariot-fighters and proclaim victory with lion-like roars.