Shloka 80

Devanagari script

घटोत्कचमसम्भान्तं राक्षसैर्बहुभिव॒तम्‌ । सिंहशार्दूलसदृशैर्मत्तमातड्विक्रमै:

Transliteration

ghaṭotkacam asambhrāntaṁ rākṣasair bahubhir vṛtam | siṁhaśārdūlasadṛśair mattamātaṅgavikramaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ghaṭotkaca demeurait inébranlable, entouré de nombreux rākṣasas—des combattants dont la puissance égalait celle d’éléphants en rut et comme ivres, et qui ressemblaient à des lions et des tigres. La scène souligne la force terrifiante des guerriers rôdant dans la nuit, tout en mettant en lumière la constance au milieu du tumulte et de la peur sur le champ de bataille.

Word by Word

घटोत्कचम्Ghaṭotkaca

असम्भान्तम्unconfused, unbewildered

राक्षसैःby/with rākṣasas (demons)

बहुभिःmany

आवृतम्surrounded, covered

सिंहशार्दूलसदृशैःresembling lions and tigers

मत्तैःmaddened, intoxicated

आतटविक्रमैःof impetuous/violent prowess

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

घ

घटोत्कच (Ghaṭotkaca)

र

राक्षस (rākṣasas)

स

सिंह (lion)

श

शार्दूल (tiger)

म

मातङ्ग (elephant)

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 emphasizes steadiness (asambhrānti) in the midst of terror and confusion. Even when surrounded by formidable forces, courage and composure are portrayed as decisive virtues in righteous struggle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Ghaṭotkaca on the battlefield, standing firm while encircled by many rākṣasa fighters. Their strength is compared to frenzied elephants and their ferocity to lions and tigers, intensifying the sense of a fearsome war-scene.