Shloka 42

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता

Devanagari script

सर्वपाञ्चालसेनाभि: संवृतो रथसत्तम: | नाकम्पत महाबाहु: स्ववीर्य समुपाश्रित:

Transliteration

sarvapāñcālasenābhiḥ saṃvṛto rathasattamaḥ | nākampata mahābāhuḥ svavīryam upāśritaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Bien qu’encerclé de toutes parts par l’armée entière des Pāñcālas, ce plus grand des guerriers de char —le héros aux bras puissants— ne chancela point, s’appuyant sur sa propre vaillance. Dans l’atmosphère morale de la guerre, le vers souligne la fermeté sous une pression écrasante : le courage n’est pas l’absence de péril, mais le refus de céder quand on est submergé, en tenant par la force intérieure et une résolution disciplinée.

Word by Word

सर्वपाञ्चालसेनाभिःby/with the entire Pāñcāla army

संवृतःsurrounded/covered

रथसत्तमःthe best of chariot-warriors

नnot

अकम्पत्shook/trembled

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

स्ववीर्यम्his own valor/strength

समुपाश्रितःhaving resorted to/depending on

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcāla army (Pāñcālas)

rathasattama (a foremost chariot-warrior, unnamed in this verse)

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 underscores steadfast courage: even when surrounded by overwhelming forces, a warrior grounded in inner strength and trained valor should not lose composure. Ethically, it praises self-mastery and firmness of purpose amid fear-inducing circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a leading chariot-warrior is encircled by the Pāñcāla troops, yet he remains unshaken. The line functions as a battlefield snapshot emphasizing the hero’s composure and resilience under siege.