Shloka 7
अनाथा नाथमिच्छन्तो मृगा: सिंहार्दिता इव । भग्नशृड्भरा इव वृषा: शीर्णदंष्टा इवोरगा:,हम अनाथ होकर कोई रक्षक चाहते थे। हमारी दशा सिंहके सताये हुए मृगों, टूटे सींगवाले बैलों तथा जिनके दाँत तोड़ लिये गये हों उन सर्पोंकी तरह हो रही थी
anāthā nātham icchanto mṛgāḥ siṁhārditā iva | bhagnaśṛṅgadharā iva vṛṣāḥ śīrṇadaṁṣṭā ivoragāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Bereft of protection, we longed for a protector. Our condition was like that of deer harried by a lion—like bulls whose horns are broken, like serpents whose fangs have been shattered.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and psychological need for rightful protection and leadership: when a community loses its capable guardian, it becomes vulnerable and demoralized, like prey before a predator. It implicitly stresses the dharmic duty of a leader to provide refuge and stability, especially amid war.
Sañjaya describes the Kaurava side’s helplessness and fear, portraying them as seeking a protector after being battered in battle. He uses vivid similes—deer attacked by a lion, horn-broken bulls, and fangless serpents—to convey their weakened, defenseless state.