Shloka 466

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

Devanagari script

भयार्ता: प्रपलायन्ते सिंहात्‌ क्षुद्रमृगा इव । “समरभूमिमें मुँह बाये हुए कालके समान भीष्मको देखकर युधिष्ठिरकी सेनामें भागते हुए इन राजाओंकी ओर दृष्टिपात करो। ये सिंहसे डरे हुए क्षुद्र मृगोंकी भाँति भयसे आतुर होकर पलायन कर रहे हैं!

Transliteration

bhayārtāḥ prapalāyante siṃhāt kṣudramṛgā iva |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Terrified, they flee—like small deer before a lion. Behold those kings in Yudhiṣṭhira’s army running away in panic on seeing Bhīṣma, who stands on the battlefield like Death itself with gaping mouth, ready to devour. The sight of the grandsire’s might breaks their courage and drives them to flight.

Word by Word

भयार्ताःdistressed by fear

प्रपलायन्तेthey flee away

सिंहात्from a lion

क्षुद्रमृगाःsmall deer (petty beasts)

इवlike, as if

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīṣma

Yudhiṣṭhira

kings in Yudhiṣṭhira’s army

battlefield (samara-bhūmi)

Kāla (Death/Time, as simile)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes