Shloka 22

Droṇa Interdicts Sātyaki; Sātyaki’s Breakthrough and Duel with Kṛtavarmā (द्रोण-निवारणम्, सात्यकि-प्रवेशः, कृतवर्म-युद्धम्)

Devanagari script

यावत्‌ तु शक्‍्यते कर्तुमन्तरजैर्जनाधिपै: । क्षत्रधर्मरतै: शूरैस्तावत्‌ कुर्वन्ति कौरवा:,अवसरको जाननेवाले, क्षत्रिय-धर्मपरायण, शूरवीर राजालोग जितना कर सकते हैं, कौरवपक्षी नरेश उतना पराक्रम करते हैं

Transliteration

yāvat tu śakyate kartum antarajair janādhipaiḥ | kṣatradharmarataiḥ śūrais tāvat kurvanti kauravāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Dans la mesure du possible, les Kaurava—rois issus de la même lignée, héroïques et voués au dharma des kṣatriya—s’emploient jusqu’à cette limite, agissant avec un sens aigu du moment propice et de l’occasion sur le champ de bataille.»

Word by Word

यावत्as much as / so long as

तुbut / indeed

शक्यतेis possible / can be done

कर्तुम्to do

अन्तरजैःby the princes (sons/descendants)

जनाधिपैःby rulers of men (kings)

क्षत्रधर्मरतैःby those devoted to kshatriya-duty

शूरैःby heroes / brave men

तावत्that much / to that extent

कुर्वन्तिthey do / they perform

कौरवाःthe Kauravas

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

क

कौरवाः (Kauravas)

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 frames battlefield action as bounded by capacity and guided by kṣatriya-dharma: a warrior-king is expected to strive fully within what is possible, showing courage and disciplined commitment to duty rather than half-measures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava-side kings and heroes are pressing the fight as much as they can—acting vigorously and seizing opportunities—emphasizing their collective effort and adherence to the warrior code in the ongoing battle.