Shloka 67

Duryodhana’s Śaraṇāgati and the Pāṇḍavas’ Resolve

Gandharva Encounter

Devanagari script

अपतदू दग्धभूयिष्ठं महाद्रुमवनं यथा । जैसे आग समूचे वनको जला देती है, उसी प्रकार असुरोंने देवताओंकी सेनामें भारी मार-काट मचा दी। बड़े-बड़े वृक्षोंसे भरे हुए वनका अधिकांश भाग जल जानेपर उसकी जैसी दुरवस्था दिखायी देती है, उसी प्रकार दैत्योंकी अस्त्राग्निमें अधिकांश सैनिकोंके दग्ध हो जानेके कारण वह देवसेना धराशायिनी हो रही थी ।। ते विभिन्नशिरोदेहा: प्राद्रवन्तो दिवौकस:

Transliteration

Mārkaṇḍeya uvāca — apatadū dagdhabhūyiṣṭhaṃ mahādrumavanaṃ yathā | te vibhinnāśirodehāḥ prādravanto divaukasaḥ ||

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “Just as a great forest thick with mighty trees, when mostly burned, collapses into ruin, so too did the host of the gods fall into disarray—many of their warriors scorched by the demons’ weapon-fire. And those heavenly beings, their heads and bodies severed, fled in panic.”

Word by Word

अपतत्fell down

दग्धभूयिष्ठम्mostly burnt / burnt for the most part

महाद्रुमवनम्a forest of great trees

यथाas / just as

तेthey

विभिन्नशिरोदेहाःhaving severed heads and bodies / with heads and bodies separated

प्राद्रवन्तःrunning forth / fleeing

दिवौकसःthe dwellers of heaven (gods)

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Divaukasaḥ (the gods/celestials)

Asuras/Daityas (demons, implied as attackers)

Mahādrumavana (great forest, as simile)

Astra-agni (weapon-fire, implied)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Sandhi Notes