Shloka 6

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिरो महाराज गजानीकं महारथ: । समवर्तत संग्रामे पुत्रेण निकृतस्तव,महाराज! आपके पुत्रद्वारा ठगे गये महारथी राजा युधिष्ठिरने संग्राममें गजसेनापर आक्रमण किया

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhiro mahārāja gajānikaṃ mahārathaḥ | samavartata saṅgrāme putreṇa nikṛtas tava ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Oh rey, Yudhiṣṭhira, el gran guerrero de carro, engañado por tu hijo, se volvió en medio de la batalla contra el cuerpo de elefantes y lo atacó.

Word by Word

युधिष्ठिरःYudhishthira

महाराजO great king

गजानीकम्the elephant-corps/elephant-army

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

समवर्ततadvanced/turned towards (engaged)

संग्रामेin battle

पुत्रेणby (your) son

निकृतःdeceived/cheated

तवof you/your

महाराजO great king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Yudhiṣṭhira

Duryodhana

gajānika (elephant-corps)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension in war: deception (nikṛti) can provoke even a dharma-minded king like Yudhiṣṭhira into fierce retaliation, showing how adharma-driven tactics distort the moral landscape and escalate violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Yudhiṣṭhira, having been tricked by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana), redirects his assault toward the Kaurava elephant-division during the battle.