Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ऋते त्वां पुरुषव्याप्र देवतुल्यपराक्रम । पर्याप्तस्तु भवाज्शीघ्रं पीडितानां गतिर्भव,“भारत! इन सब महारथियोंद्वारा मारी जाती हुई अपनी सेनाको मैं युद्धमें ठहरानेके लिये आपके सिवा दूसरा कोई आश्रय नहीं देखता। देवतुल्य पराक्रमी पुरुषसिंह! केवल आप ही उसकी रक्षामें समर्थ हैं। अतः हम पीड़ितोंके लिये आप शीघ्र ही आश्रयदाता होइये'

Transliteration

ṛte tvāṃ puruṣavyāghra devatulyaparākrama | paryāptaḥ tu bhavān śīghraṃ pīḍitānāṃ gatir bhava ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai harimau di antara manusia, yang kegagahannya laksana para dewa—tanpamu aku tidak melihat perlindungan lain untuk menegakkan bala tentara yang sedang ditebas oleh para mahāratha perkasa ini. Engkau saja sudah cukup untuk melindunginya. Maka segeralah menjadi tumpuan dan jalan keselamatan bagi kami yang terdesak.”

Word by Word

ऋतेexcept, without

त्वाम्you

पुरुषव्याघ्रO tiger among men

देवतुल्यपराक्रमO one whose valor is equal to a god's

पर्याप्तःcompetent, sufficient

तुbut, indeed

भवbe; become

अजO Aj(a) (a vocative epithet/name)

शीघ्रम्quickly

पीडितानाम्of the afflicted/oppressed

गतिःrefuge; course; means of escape

भवbe; become

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied addressee in context)

mahārathāḥ (great chariot-warriors; collective)

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?

In a moment of military collapse, Sañjaya frames effective leadership as becoming the 'gati'—the refuge and decisive recourse—for those who are afflicted. The verse highlights the ethical expectation that the most capable person should promptly assume protective responsibility when others are suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava army is being devastated by powerful warriors. He urges the addressed leader to act immediately, declaring that apart from him there is no other support capable of holding the army together and protecting the distressed troops.