Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तथोक्ते द्रोणपुत्रेण सर्व एव नराधिपा: । परिवार्य स्थिता: शल्यं जयशब्दांश्न॒ चक्रिरे

Transliteration

tathokte droṇaputreṇa sarva eva narādhipāḥ | parivārya sthitāḥ śalyaṃ jayaśabdāṃś ca cakrire ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Cuando el hijo de Droṇa hubo hablado así, todos los reyes se reunieron en torno a Śalya y se mantuvieron a su lado, alzando clamores de victoria.

Word by Word

तथाthus

उक्तेwhen (it was) said

द्रोणपुत्रेणby Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)

सर्वेall

एवindeed/just

नराधिपाःkings

परिवार्यhaving surrounded

स्थिताःstood/remained

शल्यंShalya

जयशब्दान्cries of victory

चand

चक्रिरेthey made/raised (uttered)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāmā)

Śalya

narādhipāḥ (kings)

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 how collective morale and public affirmation of leadership become crucial in crisis: warriors reinforce unity by rallying around the commander and voicing victory, even when the ethical weight and uncertainty of battle remain.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son) speaks, the assembled kings move to Śalya, surround him in support, and raise victory shouts—signaling acceptance of his leadership and an attempt to strengthen their fighting spirit.