Shloka 116

Devanagari script

आरुह्य जवसम्पन्ना: पादातान्‌ प्रजहुर्भयात्‌ । कुछ महारथी भयके मारे घोड़ोंपर, दूसरे लोग हाथियोंपर और कुछ लोग रथोंपर आरूढ़ हो पैदलोंको वहीं छोड़ बड़े वेगसे भागे

Transliteration

āruhya javasampannāḥ pādātān prajahur bhayāt |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Struck by fear, some warriors—mounting swift steeds—abandoned the foot-soldiers on the spot and fled at great speed. The scene shows how panic can shatter discipline and loyalty in battle, as self-preservation overrules the duty to stand with one’s comrades.

Word by Word

• आरुह्य: having mounted / after mounting
• आरुह्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• जवसम्पन्नाः: endowed with speed / swift
• जवसम्पन्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जव-सम्पन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पादातान्: foot-soldiers
• पादातान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादात
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रजहुः: they abandoned / left behind
• प्रजहुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हा
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भयात्: from fear / out of fear
• भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horses
• foot-soldiers (infantry)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Fear can dissolve dharma in practice: when panic rises, warriors may abandon comrades and order, showing how ethical duty and solidarity require inner steadiness, especially under crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a moment of battlefield rout: some fighters mount swift horses and, driven by fear, leave the foot-soldiers behind and run away rapidly, indicating disorder and collapse of formation.