Shloka 27

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally

Devanagari script

पाण्डवास्तु रणे दृष्टवा मद्रराजपदानुगान्‌

Transliteration

pāṇḍavāstu raṇe dṛṣṭvā madrarājapadānugān

Translation

Sanjaya said: But the Pandavas, seeing on the battlefield those who were following in the footsteps of the king of Madra, took note of them.

Word by Word

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• मद्रराजपदानुगान्: those following the footsteps/command of the king of Madra
• मद्रराजपदानुगान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्रराजपदानुग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• पाण्डवाः (Pāṇḍavas)
• मद्रराज (King of Madra—Śalya)
• रण (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective action in war often forms around leadership and allegiance: followers mirror a commander’s intent. Ethically, it points to the tension between loyalty to a leader and the broader demands of dharma within a destructive conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas observe on the battlefield the warriors aligned with and acting under the influence/lead of the king of Madra (Śalya), indicating the enemy’s organized following and readiness under his command.