Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्रस्य मूर्च्छा तथा द्रोणविषयकप्रश्नाः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Fainting and Questions Concerning Droṇa

Devanagari script

ननु रुक्मरथं दृष्टवा प्राद्रवन्ति सम पाण्डवा:

Transliteration

nanu rukmarathaṁ dṛṣṭvā prādravanti sma pāṇḍavāḥ

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Assurément, en voyant Rukmaratha, les Pāṇḍava se ruèrent aussitôt en avant.» La formule traduit l’attention inquiète du roi au mouvement du champ de bataille : la vue d’un seul guerrier peut déclencher une manœuvre immédiate et ranimer l’affrontement, dans la lutte pour le juste au milieu du fardeau moral de la guerre.

Word by Word

ननुindeed; surely; well

रुक्मरथम्Rukmaratha (proper name)

दृष्ट्वाhaving seen

प्राद्रवन्तिthey run forth; they rush

समम्together; all at once; equally

पाण्डवाःthe Pandavas

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Rukmaratha

Pāṇḍavas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how perception and recognition on the battlefield immediately shape action: a notable opponent’s appearance can catalyze decisive movement. Ethically, it reflects the tension between strategic necessity and the larger dharmic aim—acting swiftly in war while remaining oriented to rightful purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing the war report, remarks that when the Pāṇḍavas saw the warrior named Rukmaratha, they rushed forward at once—signaling a renewed clash and a tactical response to an identified combatant.