Shloka 37

कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation

Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows

Devanagari script

ततो योधैर्महाराज पलायद्धिः समन्ततः । अभवद्‌ व्याकुलं भीतं पुत्राणां ते महद्‌ बलम्‌

Transliteration

tato yodhair mahārāja palāyadbhiḥ samantataḥ | abhavad vyākulaṃ bhītaṃ putrāṇāṃ te mahad balam ||

Translation

Kemudian, wahai Raja agung, ketika para prajurit lari ke segala arah, kekuatan besar putra-putramu pun terguncang—kacau dan diliputi takut.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• योधैः: by the warriors
• योधैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पलायद्धिः: with fleeing/flight
• पलायद्धिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलायद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततस्
• Form: Avyaya

• अभवत्: became, was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• व्याकुलम्: agitated, confused
• व्याकुलम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याकुल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• भीतम्: frightened
• भीतम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीत
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular (past passive participle from √भी 'to fear')

• पुत्राणाम्: of (your) sons
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ते: your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular (enclitic form)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• बलम्: army/strength
• बलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kauravas (the king's sons)
• warriors (yodhas)
• army/force (bala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even a large and well-armed force collapses when courage and cohesion break; fear spreads quickly in war, showing that inner steadiness and righteous purpose are as decisive as numbers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that warriors are fleeing on all sides, and as a result the Kaurava host—despite being great—has become confused and frightened.