Shloka 16

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya

Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance

Devanagari script

पलायनकृतोत्साहा निरुत्साहा द्विषज्जये

Transliteration

palāyanakṛtotsāhā nirutsāhā dviṣajjaye

Translation

Dalam pertempuran melawan musuh itu, semangat mereka hanya tertuju pada pelarian; daya juang untuk bertahan dan berusaha telah surut.

Word by Word

• पलायनकृतोत्साहाः: those whose zeal is for fleeing (intent on flight)
• पलायनकृतोत्साहाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पलायनकृतोत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निरुत्साहाः: spiritless, devoid of enthusiasm
• निरुत्साहाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्विषत्: among/with the enemy (the hater)
• द्विषत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विषत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• जये: in victory
• जये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• enemies (dviṣat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral-psychological contrast central to epic warfare ethics: when resolve collapses, effort turns from righteous striving to mere self-preservation. It implicitly critiques the loss of courage and steadiness expected in a dharmic battle, showing how fear can redirect human agency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a moment on the battlefield where combatants, facing hostile pressure, become dispirited. Instead of pressing the fight, their only ‘enthusiasm’ is for retreat, indicating a breakdown of morale amid the conflict described in Droṇa Parva.