Shloka 473

Devanagari script

अभज्यन्त महाराज यतमाना महारथा: । महाराज! समरभूमिमें प्रयत्नपूर्वक युद्ध करनेवाले पाण्डवपक्षके महारथी राधापूुत्र कर्णके द्वारा बारंबार भागनेको विवश कर दिये जाते थे

Transliteration

abhajyanta mahārāja yatamānā mahārathāḥ |

Translation

Sanjaya said: O King, those great chariot-warriors, though striving with all their might on the battlefield, were repeatedly forced to retreat, broken in spirit and formation by Radhā’s son Karna.

Word by Word

• अभज्यन्त: were forced to flee / were routed
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Ātmanepada, 3rd, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यतमाना: striving, making effort
• यतमाना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ) from √यत्, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महारथा: great chariot-warriors
• महारथा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Karṇa (Rādhā’s son)
• Pāṇḍava side
• battlefield (samarabhūmi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the brutal reality of war: even determined and capable warriors can be compelled to withdraw when confronted by overwhelming skill and force. It implicitly contrasts personal effort (yatna) with the unpredictable outcomes of battle, where valor alone may not prevent collapse or retreat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍava-side great warriors, despite fighting earnestly, were repeatedly broken and driven back by Karṇa’s attacks on the battlefield.