Shloka 5

Devanagari script

अभिद्रव रणे हृष्टो मा च ते भी: कथंचन । जनमेजय: शिखण्डी च दौर्मुखिश्व॒ यशोधर:

Transliteration

abhidrava raṇe hṛṣṭo mā ca te bhīḥ kathaṃcana | janamejayaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca daurmukhiś ca yaśodharaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Charge forward into the battle with joy; do not be afraid in any way. Janamejaya, Śikhaṇḍī, and also Daurmukhi and Yaśodhara (are there).”

Word by Word

अभिद्रवrun towards / charge

रणेin battle

हृष्टःdelighted / exhilarated

माdo not

चand

तेof you / your

भीःfear

कथंचनin any way / at all

जनमेजयःJanamejaya

शिखण्डीShikhandi

चand

दौर्मुखिःDurmukhi (proper name)

चand

यशोधरःYashodhara (bearer of fame)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Janamejaya

Śikhaṇḍī

Daurmukhi

Yaśodhara

raṇa (battlefield)

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?

The verse urges fearless, wholehearted engagement in one’s duty during crisis—here, the kṣatriya duty of battle—rejecting paralyzing fear and acting with steady resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports an exhortation to advance into combat with confidence, while naming warriors present/engaged—Janamejaya, Śikhaṇḍī, Daurmukhi, and Yaśodhara—situating the listener within the unfolding battle scene.