Shloka 28

Devanagari script

द्रवमाणं बल॑ दृष्टयवा पलायनकृतक्षणम्‌ । दुर्योधनं समासाद्य द्रोणपुत्रोडब्रवीदिदम्‌,इतनेहीमें उसने देखा कि सारी कौरव-सेना भागी जा रही है और सभी लोग पलायन करनेमें उत्साह दिखा रहे हैं। तब द्रोणपुत्रने दुर्योधनके पास जाकर इस प्रकार पूछा --

Transliteration

dravamāṇaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā palāyanakṛtakṣaṇam | duryodhanaṃ samāsādya droṇaputro ’bravīd idam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing the army in disarray, rushing about and poised to flee, Droṇa’s son approached Duryodhana and spoke these words. The moment underscores how fear and wavering resolve can spread through a force, compelling leaders and commanders to confront the moral and strategic crisis of retreat versus steadfastness.

Word by Word

द्रवमाणम्running, fleeing

बलम्army, force

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

इवas if, like

पलायनकृतक्षणम्whose moment was made for flight; intent on fleeing

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana

समासाद्यhaving approached, having reached

द्रोणपुत्रःDrona's son (Ashvatthaman)

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

इदम्this

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duryodhana

Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāmā)

Kaurava army

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical danger of collapsing morale in war: when fear spreads, even a large force becomes ineffective. It implies the responsibility of leaders and commanders to address panic, restore resolve, and act in accordance with their chosen duty (especially kṣatriya-dharma) rather than being driven by impulse to flee.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava forces are scattering and inclined to retreat. Observing this, Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son) goes to Duryodhana and begins to speak—setting up a confrontation about the army’s condition and what should be done next.