Shloka 176

Devanagari script

न चास्य शासन केचित्तत्र चक्रुर्महारथा: । दुर्योधनने उन वीरोंको सान्त्वना देते हुए बहुत मना किया, किंतु वहाँ किन्हीं महारथियोंने उसकी इस आज्ञाका पालन नहीं किया

Transliteration

na cāsya śāsanaṃ kecit tatra cakrur mahārathāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Yet none of the great chariot-warriors there carried out his command. Though Duryodhana strove mightily to restrain and console those heroes, they did not comply—showing how, in the heat of war, personal resolve and martial pride can override even a king’s directive.

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• शासनम्: command, order
• शासनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• चक्रुः: did, carried out
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, plural

• महारथाः: great warriors (maharathas)
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• mahārathas (great warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even legitimate authority can fail in moments of crisis: when warriors are driven by honor, grief, or rage, they may disregard commands, showing the ethical tension between obedience to leadership and personal martial resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana attempted to restrain and reassure certain heroes, but the great warriors present did not follow his instruction, indicating a breakdown of command amid the escalating conflict.