Shloka 9

Devanagari script

पार्षतश्न महायुद्धे विमुखो5द्याभिलक्ष्यते । इत्येवं विविधा वाचस्तावकानां परै: सह

Transliteration

pārṣataśna mahāyuddhe vimukho ’dyābhilakṣyate | ityevaṃ vividhā vācas tāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “In this great battle, the son of Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) is seen today turning away (from the fight).” Thus, amid the clash, many such varied remarks were exchanged between your warriors and the enemy.

Word by Word

• पार्षतः: the son of Pṛṣata (Dhr̥ṣṭadyumna)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत (द्रुपदपुत्र/धृष्टद्युम्न)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महायुद्धे: in the great battle
• महायुद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महायुद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विमुखः: turned away; averse; retreating
• विमुखः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुख
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• अभिलक्ष्यते: is seen; is observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-लक्ष्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Passive/Impersonal (lakṣyate-type)

• इति: thus; saying
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एवं: in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवं

• विविधाः: various; diverse
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• वाचः: words; statements
• वाचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• तावकानाम्: of your people (the Kauravas)
• Type: Noun (possessive adjective used substantively)
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परैः: by the enemies; by the others
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• पार्षतश्न / पार्षतपुत्र (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how speech and perception function as forces in war: declaring an opponent to be ‘turning away’ can shape morale, embolden one side, and unsettle the other. Ethically, it points to the volatility of judgment in battle—where partial observations become sweeping claims, and words themselves become instruments of strategy.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna (called ‘the son of Pārṣata’) appears to be withdrawing or turning away in the great battle. Around this moment, Kaurava soldiers and their opponents exchange many such varied remarks—battlefield talk interpreting movements, successes, and reversals as the fight unfolds.