Shloka 5

Devanagari script

(विक्रीडितं रणे तेन निघ्नता वै परान्‌ वरान्‌ ।) यस्य शूरा महेष्वासा: प्रत्यनीकगता रणे । प्रभग्ना विनिवर्तन्ते कृतास्त्रा युद्धदुर्मदा:,“उसने रणक्षेत्रमें प्रमुख-प्रमुख शत्रुवीरोंका वध करते हुए अद्भुत रणक्रीडा की थी। युद्धमें उसके सामने जानेपर शत्रुपक्षके अस्त्रविद्याविशारद युद्धदुर्मद और महान धनुर्धर शूरवीर भी हतोत्साह हो भाग खड़े होते थे

Transliteration

yasya śūrā maheṣvāsāḥ pratyanīka-gatā raṇe | prabhagnā vinivartante kṛtāstrā yuddha-durmadāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Even those heroes who were great bowmen—masters of weapons and swollen with the pride of battle—when they advanced to face him in the fight, were shattered and turned back in retreat.

Word by Word

विक्रीडितम्sporting feat, play (in battle)

रणेin battle

तेनby him

निघ्नताwhile slaying

वैindeed

परान्enemies, opponents

वरान्excellent, foremost

यस्यwhose

शूराःheroes, warriors

महेष्वासाःgreat bowmen

प्रत्यनीकगताःhaving gone to face (him), having advanced against (him)

रणेin battle

प्रभग्नाःbroken, routed

विनिवर्तन्तेthey turn back, retreat

कृतास्त्राःtrained in weapons, skilled in weaponry

युद्धदुर्मदाःarrogant in battle, battle-maddened

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

enemy warriors (opposing side)

maheṣvāsa (great bowmen)

astra (weapons/weapon-lore)

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 highlights how pride in strength and technical mastery (kṛtāstra, yuddha-durmada) can collapse when confronted by superior resolve and prowess; in war, morale and steadiness often decide outcomes as much as skill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior so formidable that even expert, confident enemy archers who advance to face him are broken and retreat from the battlefield.