Shloka 28

Devanagari script

एतौ हि बलिनौ शूरौ कृतास्त्रौ जितकाशिनौ । उपेक्षितौ तव बलैनाशयेतां निशामिमाम्‌,'ये दोनों--द्रोण और कर्ण बलवान, शूरवीर, अस्त्रवेत्ता तथा विजयश्रीसे सुशोभित हैं। यदि इनकी उपेक्षा की गयी तो ये इसी रातमें तुमलोगोंकी सारी सेनाका विनाश कर डालेंगे!

Transliteration

etau hi balinau śūrāu kṛtāstrau jitakāśinau | upekṣitau tava balān nāśayetāṃ niśām imām ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: “These two—mighty and heroic, fully trained in the use of weapons and radiant with victory—if you neglect them, they will destroy your entire army this very night.”

Word by Word

एतौthese two

हिindeed/for

बलिनौstrong, powerful

शूरौheroes, brave warriors

कृतास्त्रौtrained/versed in weapons (having mastered weapons)

जितकाशिनौhaving conquered Kāśi (or: conquerors of Kāśi)

उपेक्षितौif neglected/overlooked

तवof you/your

बलम्army/force

नाशयेताम्they would destroy

निशाम्night

इमाम्this

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Drona

Karna

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?

Neglecting capable agents—especially in a crisis—invites disproportionate harm. The verse frames leadership as vigilance: recognizing power, anticipating consequences, and acting responsibly rather than dismissively.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya warns the Kaurava side that Drona and Karna are exceptionally powerful and victorious warriors; if they are not checked or taken seriously, they can annihilate the opposing forces within the night.