Shloka 22

Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ

Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors

Devanagari script

व्यदृश्यत निमेषेण पुन: स्वरथमास्थित: । दृश्यते तावकैर्योधैर्विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनै:,परंतु द्रोणाचार्य पुन: पलक मारते-मारते अपने रथपर बैठे दिखायी देते थे। उस समय आपके योद्धा विस्मयसे आँखें फाड़-फाड़कर यह दृश्य देख रहे थे

Transliteration

vyadṛśyata nimeṣeṇa punaḥ sva-ratham āsthitaḥ | dṛśyate tāvakair yodhair vismayotphulla-locanaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the very blink of an eye he was seen again seated upon his own chariot. Your warriors beheld the sight with eyes widened in astonishment—an uncanny reversal on the battlefield that momentarily unsettled their sense of what is possible amid the demands of war and duty.

Word by Word

• व्यदृश्यत: was seen/appeared
• व्यदृश्यत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

• निमेषेण: in/within a blink (by a moment)
• निमेषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमेष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• स्वरथम्: his own chariot
• स्वरथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितः: having mounted/seated (on)
• आस्थितः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Past active participle (kta), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), 3, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

• तावकैः: by your (people)
• तावकैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• योद्धैः: by the warriors
• योद्धैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योद्धृ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-लोचनैः: with eyes widened in amazement
• विस्मय-उत्फुल्ल-लोचनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + उत्फुल्ल + लोचन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaurava warriors (tāvakāḥ)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly fortune and appearances can shift in war; disciplined judgment (dharma-informed discernment) is needed so that shock and spectacle do not derail one’s duty or ethical restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, in an instant, the person in question is seen again seated on his own chariot, and the Kaurava fighters stare in amazement at this sudden reappearance.