Shloka 86

Devanagari script

ततो<भ्यधावंस्त्वरिता: पाण्डवा जयगृद्धिनः । पदातयश्न नागाश्न सादिनश्लोद्यतायुधा:,तब विजयाभिलाषी पाण्डवोंने भी तुरंत उसपर धावा कर दिया। पाण्डव युद्धसे पार होना चाहते थे; अतः उनके पैदल, हाथीसवार और घुड़सवार सभी हथियार उठाये आगे बढ़े तथा शकुनिको सब ओरसे घेरकर उसे कोष्ठबद्ध करके नाना प्रकारके शत्त्रोंद्वारा घायल करने लगे

Transliteration

tato 'bhyadhāvaṁs tvaritāḥ pāṇḍavā jayagṛddhinaḥ | padātayaś ca nāgāś ca sādinaś codyatāyudhāḥ ||

Translation

Then the Pāṇḍavas, swift to act and hungry for victory, rushed forward. Their foot-soldiers, elephant-warriors, and horsemen—all with weapons raised—advanced together, pressing the attack in a coordinated surge, driven by the duty of the battlefield and the pursuit of triumph.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अभ्यधावन्ran towards, charged at

त्वरिताःhastened, swift

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

जयगृद्धिनःeager for victory

पदातयःfoot-soldiers

नागाःelephants (elephant-troops)

सादिनःhorsemen, riders

उद्यतायुधाःwith weapons raised

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍavas

infantry (padātayaḥ)

war-elephants (nāgāḥ)

cavalry/horsemen (sādinaḥ)

weapons (āyudhāni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: decisive, unified action in pursuit of a just objective as understood by the warriors—victory sought through readiness, courage, and coordinated effort across all divisions of the army.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas suddenly charge forward. Infantry, elephant corps, and cavalry advance with raised weapons, indicating a full-force assault rather than a limited skirmish.