Shloka 3

अभिमन्योरावरणम्

Encirclement and counter-strikes of Abhimanyu

Devanagari script

दुर्योधने च विमुखे राजपुत्रशते हते । सौभगद्रे प्रतिपत्तिं कां प्रत्यपद्यन्त मामका:,संजय! जब दुर्योधन भाग गया और सैकड़ों राजकुमार मारे गये, उस समय मेरे पुत्रोंने सुभद्राकुमारका सामना करनेके लिये क्या उपाय किया?

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | duryodhane ca vimukhe rājaputraśate hate | saubhadre pratipattiṁ kāṁ pratyapadyanta māmakāḥ, sañjaya ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “When Duryodhana turned away and fled, and a hundred princes had been slain, what course of action did my sons adopt to confront Saubhadra (Abhimanyu), O Sañjaya?”

Word by Word

• दुर्योधने: when/with Duryodhana
• दुर्योधने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• विमुखे: turned away, having fled
• विमुखे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुख
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• राजपुत्रशते: when a hundred princes
• राजपुत्रशते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्रशत
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• हते: were slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सौभगद्रे: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभगद्रे: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभगद्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रतिपत्तिम्: measure, course of action, encounter
• प्रतिपत्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपत्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• काम्: what?
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यपद्यन्त: resorted to / undertook
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-√पद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada

• मामकाः: my men (my sons/party)
• मामकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मामक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संजय: O Sañjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Duryodhana
• Sañjaya
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• rājaputrāḥ (princes)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and strategic crisis that follows failed leadership: when a commander retreats and many fall, the remaining side must choose between righteous conduct and desperate measures. It foreshadows how fear and attachment can drive adharma in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to recount what the Kauravas did after Duryodhana withdrew and many princes were killed—specifically, what plan they adopted to face Saubhadra, i.e., Abhimanyu, who is pressing them in battle.