Shloka 16

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

योधानामशिवा रौद्रा राजन्नन्तकगामिनी

Transliteration

yodhānām aśivā raudrā rājann antakagāminī

Translation

Wahai Raja, bagi para prajurit muncullah pertanda sial yang mengerikan—seakan menuntun langsung menuju Antaka, Sang Maut.

Word by Word

• योधानाम्: of the warriors
• योधानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अशिवा: inauspicious
• अशिवा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशिव
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रौद्रा: terrible, fierce
• रौद्रा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अन्तकगामिनी: leading to death (Yama)
• अन्तकगामिनी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्तक-गामिन्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')
• Antaka (Death)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how large-scale violence and unrighteous conflict are accompanied by ominous signs, suggesting moral and existential consequences: when war becomes ruthless, it naturally tends toward death and ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a dreadful, inauspicious portent has appeared among the warriors—an omen indicating that the battle is moving toward widespread death (Antaka).