Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततो<5परे सुबहवो भरतानां महारथा: । प्राद्रवन्त भयत्रस्ता हियाविष्टा विचेतस:

Transliteration

tato 'pare bahavo bharatānāṁ mahārathāḥ | prādravan bhayatrastā hriyāviṣṭā vicetasaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then many other great chariot-warriors of the Bharata host, shaken by fear, fled in haste—overcome by shame and robbed of clear judgment.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• अपरे: others
• अपरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• सुबहवः: very many
• सुबहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुबहु
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• भरतानाम्: of the Bharatas
• भरतानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत
• Form: Masculine, genitive, plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• प्राद्रवन्त: ran away; fled
• प्राद्रवन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, plural; parasmaipada

• भयत्रस्ताः: terrified by fear
• भयत्रस्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयत्रस्त
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• हियाविष्टाः: possessed by fear/terror (lit. entered by 'hiya')
• हियाविष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिया-आविष्ट
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

• विचेतसः: bewildered; senseless
• विचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bharatas (Kuru host)
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fear can overpower even eminent warriors, leading to loss of discernment (vicetasaḥ) and a collapse of honor-conscious conduct (hriyāviṣṭāḥ). Ethically, it points to the fragility of kṣatriya resolve when inner steadiness fails.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Karṇa Parva battle, many Bharata-side great chariot-warriors become terrified and, confused and ashamed, break formation and flee.