Shloka 17

द्रोणाभिमुखानां निवारण-युद्धम् / Interceptions on the Droṇa-front

Devanagari script

व्यक्तमेव च मे शंस यथा युद्धमवर्तत । के<्युध्यन्‌ के व्यपाकुर्वन्‌ के क्षुद्रा: प्राद्रवन्‌ भयात्‌

Transliteration

vyaktam eva ca me śaṃsa yathā yuddham avartata | ke ’yudhyan ke vyapākurvan ke kṣudrāḥ prādravan bhayāt ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Tell me plainly how the battle unfolded. Who fought on, who turned back and withdrew, and who—base and faint-hearted—fled in fear?”

Word by Word

• व्यक्तम्: clearly, explicitly (as an object: 'the clear account')
• व्यक्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मे: to me / for me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Dative/Genitive, Singular

• शंस: tell, relate
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• यथा: how, in what manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• युद्धम्: the battle
• युद्धम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अवर्तत: went on, took place
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• के: who (plural)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अयुध्यन्: fought
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• के: who (plural)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यपाकुर्वन्: drew back, retreated
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + कृ
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• के: who (plural)
• के: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षुद्राः: base, mean-spirited, cowardly
• क्षुद्राः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्राद्रवन्: ran away, fled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + द्रु
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भयात्: from fear, out of fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical scrutiny applied to conduct in war: steadfast courage is contrasted with retreat and fear-driven flight, and cowardice is morally censured as “kṣudra” (ignoble).

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya for a clear report of the day’s fighting—seeking to know which warriors stood firm, which withdrew, and which fled in fear.