Shloka 36

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

द्रवतां सादिनां चैव गजानां च विशाम्पते

Transliteration

dravatāṁ sādināṁ caiva gajānāṁ ca viśāmpate

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Ô seigneur des peuples, il y avait aussi des cavaliers en déroute, et des éléphants de même.»

Word by Word

• द्रवताम्: of the running (ones)
• द्रवताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रवत् (√द्रु)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सादिनाम्: of the riders (horsemen)
• सादिनाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• गजानाम्: of the elephants
• गजानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति (विश् + अम् + पति)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by the address viśāmpate)
• horsemen (sādinaḥ)
• elephants (gajāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral and strategic cost of panic in war: when discipline collapses, even elite arms—cavalry and elephants—can be driven into flight, reminding rulers that outcomes depend not only on strength but on steadiness, command, and adherence to kṣatriya resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the battlefield has turned disorderly: mounted warriors and elephants are seen fleeing, indicating a rout or sudden reversal where troops lose cohesion and retreat.