Shloka 176

दुःशासन-सहदेव-संक्षोभः; भीम-राधेय-गदायुद्धम्; द्रोण-पार्थ-अस्त्रसंग्रामः

Duhshasana–Sahadeva Clash; Bhima–Karna Mace Exchange; Drona–Arjuna Astra Duel

Devanagari script

नाशक्यन्त महाराज योधा वारयितुं तदा | महाराज! द्रोणाचार्यने तथा स्वयं आपके पुत्रने भी उन्हें बहुतेरा रोका, तथापि उस समय आपके सैनिक रोके न जा सके

Transliteration

nāśakyanta mahārāja yodhā vārayituṃ tadā |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O King, at that time the warriors could not be restrained. Though Droṇācārya and even your own son tried repeatedly to hold them back, your forces still could not be checked.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अशक्यन्त: were not able
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• योधाः: warriors/soldiers
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वारयितुम्: to restrain/stop
• वारयितुम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• तदा: then/at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संयज उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Droṇācārya
• Duryodhana
• Kaurava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even strong authority and renowned teachers may fail to restrain collective martial momentum once passions and battlefield urgency take over; this highlights the ethical danger of war—when violence escalates, control and discernment (dharma-buddhi) become difficult to maintain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava warriors could not be held back at that moment. Despite Droṇa and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (Duryodhana) attempting repeatedly to stop or regulate them, the troops were not successfully restrained.