Shloka 22

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

तमसा चावृते लोके न प्राज्ञायत किंचन

Transliteration

tamasā cāvṛte loke na prājñāyata kiṃcana

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Lorsque le monde fut voilé de ténèbres, rien ne pouvait être discerné clairement—image de la façon dont, au cœur du tumulte de la guerre, la perception et le jugement eux-mêmes s’obscurcissent.

Word by Word

तमसाby darkness

चand

आवृतेwhen (it was) covered/veiled

लोकेin the world

नnot

प्राज्ञायतwas known/was perceived

किंचनanything (at all)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

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 tamas (darkness, confusion) can eclipse prajñā (clear knowing). In ethical terms, it suggests that in violent upheaval and fear, discernment fails—so one must guard clarity of mind and judgment, especially when actions have grave consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the scene became shrouded in darkness, so that nothing could be made out. It conveys the battlefield’s sudden obscurity and the resulting disorientation of those present.