Shloka 26

Chapter 30: Formation Disruption, Competing War-Cries, and Nīla’s Fall

Droṇa-parva

Devanagari script

एवं बहुविधा माया: सौबलस्य कृता: कृता:

Transliteration

evaṁ bahuvidhā māyāḥ saubalasya kṛtāḥ kṛtāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Thus, the Saubala (Śakuni) repeatedly employed many kinds of deceptive stratagems—illusions and tricks devised to mislead—showing how cunning, rather than righteousness, was being used to steer events amid the war’s turmoil.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable)

• बहुविधाः: of many kinds, various
• बहुविधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुविध
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• मायाः: illusions, magical devices
• मायाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• सौबलस्य: of Saubala (son of Subala; i.e., Shakuni)
• Type: Noun (patronymic/epithet)
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कृताः: made, performed
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• कृताः: made (repeated for emphasis)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• सौबल (Śakuni)
• संजय (Sañjaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical contrast between dharma and manipulative cunning: repeated reliance on māyā (deceptive devices) signals an adharma-driven approach where outcomes are pursued through trickery rather than righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, remarks that Śakuni (the Saubala) is repeatedly deploying various deceptive tactics—indicating ongoing intrigue and manipulation influencing the course of the conflict.