Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तमसा संवृते लोके न प्राज्ञायत किंचन । कौरवाणां प्रकाशेन दृश्यन्ते विद्रुता: परे,उस समय पाण्डवदल अन्धकारसे आच्छन्न हो गया था। किसीको कुछ जान नहीं पड़ता था। कौरवदलमें जो प्रकाश हो रहा था, उसीसे कुछ भागते हुए सैनिक दिखायी देते थे

Transliteration

tamasa saṁvṛte loke na prājñāyata kiṁcana | kauravāṇāṁ prakāśena dṛśyante vidrutāḥ pare ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: When the world was enveloped in darkness, nothing could be clearly discerned. Only by the light shining in the Kaurava host could some of the others be seen—men fleeing in confusion. The scene underscores how, in war, fear and disorientation can eclipse judgment, and how even a small advantage (here, visibility) can decide movement, morale, and survival.

Word by Word

तमसाby darkness

संवृतेcovered, enveloped

लोकेin the world/scene

नnot

प्राज्ञायतwas known/was perceived

किंचनanything

कौरवाणाम्of the Kauravas

प्रकाशेनby the light/illumination

दृश्यन्तेare seen/appear

विद्रुताःhaving fled, running away

परेothers (the opposing side)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kauravas

the opposing army (Pare; contextually the Pāṇḍava side)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how darkness—literal and symbolic—destroys discernment. In ethical terms, war breeds confusion and panic; clarity (prakāśa) becomes a decisive good, while loss of perception leads to disorder and flight.

What is happening in the narrative?

A sudden darkness covers the battlefield so that nothing can be made out. Only where the Kaurava side has light can figures be seen, and in that illumination some of the opposing soldiers are visible running away.