Shloka 266

Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ

Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements

Devanagari script

समपद्यत सर्वेषां सैन्यानां सुमहद्‌ भयम्‌ । उस द्वैरथ युद्धमें सात्यकिद्वारा वीर कृतवर्मके रथहीन हो जानेपर आपके सारे सैनिकोंके मनमें महान्‌ भय समा गया

Transliteration

samapadyata sarveṣāṁ sainyānāṁ sumahad bhayam |

Translation

A very great fear seized the hearts of all the armies. In that chariot-duel, when Sātyaki caused the valiant Kṛtavarmā to become chariotless, your entire host was overwhelmed by dread.

Word by Word

• समपद्यत: arose/occurred/entered (came to be)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पद्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), आत्मनेपद, 3, singular

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• सैन्यानाम्: of the armies/troops
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: neuter, genitive, plural

• सुमहत्: very great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महत्
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: neuter, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• Kṛtavarmā
• Kaurava army (implied by 'your soldiers')

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a recurring ethical-psychological truth in the Mahābhārata’s war narrative: collective confidence in battle is fragile. When a celebrated warrior is suddenly disabled (made chariotless), fear spreads rapidly through the ranks, reminding that pride in force and reputation is unstable and that war magnifies human vulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that during a fierce chariot-duel, Sātyaki managed to render Kṛtavarmā chariotless. Seeing this reversal, the Kaurava troops (addressed as 'your soldiers') were struck by intense fear.