Shloka 37

Devanagari script

इत्युक्त्वा समरे द्रोणो न्यवर्तत यतः परे । द्वैधीकृत्य तत: सेनां युद्धं समभवत्‌ तदा,ऐसा कहकर द्रोणाचार्य समरभूमिमें जिस ओर शत्रुओंकी सेना थी, उधर ही लौट पड़े। तत्पश्चात्‌ सेनाके दो विभाग करके उसी क्षण युद्ध आरम्भ हो गया

Transliteration

ity uktvā samare droṇo nyavartata yataḥ pare | dvaidhīkṛtya tataḥ senāṃ yuddhaṃ samabhavat tadā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Having spoken thus, Droṇa turned back on the battlefield toward the side where the opposing forces stood. Then, dividing the army into two formations, the battle at once commenced.” The verse underscores the swift transition from counsel and command to decisive action, where strategy and duty propel the warriors into renewed violence.

Word by Word

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving said

समरेin battle

द्रोणःDrona

न्यवर्ततturned back/returned

यतःfrom where/whence

परेthe enemies/opponents

द्वैधीकृत्यhaving split into two

ततःthen/thereafter

सेनाम्the army

युद्धम्battle/fighting

समभवत्arose/began/occurred

तदाthen/at that time

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa

senā (army)

pare (the opposing/enemy forces)

samara (battlefield)

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 the immediacy with which a commander’s resolve and strategic decision translate into collective action: once the command is given, the army is reorganized and conflict begins. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between duty-bound leadership and the grave consequences of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Droṇa, after speaking, turns toward the enemy side and then divides his forces into two divisions. With this reconfiguration, the fighting starts immediately.