Shloka 5

Devanagari script

ते सर्वतो विद्रवन्तो योधा विध्वस्तचेतना:

Transliteration

te sarvato vidravanto yodhā vidhvastacetanāḥ

Translation

संजय बोले—वे योद्धा, जिनकी चेतना युद्धाघात से चूर हो गई थी, चारों ओर भाग खड़े हुए; भय और भ्रम ने उनकी पंक्तियाँ तोड़ दीं।

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वतः: from all sides / in every direction
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः
• Form: true

• विद्रवन्तः: running away / fleeing
• विद्रवन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + द्रु
• Form: Present active participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विध्वस्तचेतनाः: whose senses/mind were shattered; panic-stricken
• विध्वस्तचेतनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध्वस्तचेतन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• warriors (yodhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, inner steadiness (cetanā, mental composure) is as decisive as physical strength; when the mind collapses under fear and shock, even trained warriors abandon order and duty, showing the ethical tragedy of conflict where dharma is strained by panic and survival-instinct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the fighters are scattering and fleeing in every direction, overwhelmed and mentally disoriented—signaling a moment of rout or breakdown in the battle line.