Shloka 256

कर्णस्य सेनापत्यं, माकरव्यूहः, पाण्डवानामर्धचन्द्रव्यूहः

Karna’s Command; Mākara Formation; Pandava Crescent Counter-Array

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा व्यामोहमागच्छच्छोकव्याकुलितेन्द्रिय: । वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्‌! यह कहते हुए ही अम्बिकानन्दन धृतराष्ट्र उस समय यह सुनकर कि अपनी सेनाके प्रमुख वीर मारे गये

Transliteration

śrutvā vyāmoham āgacchac choka-vyākulitendriyaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: Al oír esto, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hijo de Ambikā, cayó en el desconcierto y se desvaneció; sus sentidos quedaron anegados por el dolor. Al saber que los principales héroes habían sido abatidos, que el ejército estaba casi destruido y que apenas quedaba un resto, se desplomó bajo el peso de la aflicción.

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• व्यामोहम्: bewilderment, delusion
• व्यामोहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यामोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आगच्छत्: came to, fell into
• आगच्छत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम्/गच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शोक-व्याकुलित-इन्द्रियः: whose senses were agitated by grief
• शोक-व्याकुलित-इन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how grief and delusion can seize the mind when one is bound by attachment to power and outcomes; reliance on violence and victory as supports of identity culminates in inner collapse when those supports fall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Dhṛtarāṣṭra, on hearing the disastrous news of the war—especially the loss of leading warriors and the decimation of his forces—becomes bewildered and is overwhelmed by sorrow.