Shloka 53

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनमुपागम्य प्राह प्रहरतां वर: । राजन्‌! इसी समय जटासुरका बलवान पुत्र योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ एक राक्षस दुर्योधनके पास आकर इस प्रकार बोला--

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

duryodhanam upāgamya prāha praharatāṃ varaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Approaching Duryodhana, the foremost among fighters spoke. “O King, at this very moment the mighty son of Jaṭāsura—a rākṣasa, best among warriors—has come to Duryodhana and spoke in this manner.”

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनम्: Duryodhana (as the one approached)
• दुर्योधनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपागम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having approached)

• प्राह: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (ब्रू/अह्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्रहरताम्: of those who are striking/attacking; let them strike (contextual)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ (प्रहरति)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• वरः: the best/excellent one
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Jaṭāsura
• Jaṭāsura's son (a rākṣasa warrior)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war narratives often turn on timely counsel and the arrival of powerful allies; ethically, it underscores the responsibility of leaders to discern the motives and consequences of accepting such martial support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a foremost fighter—identified in the accompanying narrative as the mighty rākṣasa, son of Jaṭāsura—approaches Duryodhana and begins to address him, setting up the next speech or proposal.