Shloka 14

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — सैन्यप्रशंसा, भेदनवृत्तान्त-प्रश्नः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Praise of the Host and Inquiry after the Breach

Devanagari script

पदातीनां सहस्राणि दंशितान्येकविंशति: । गव्यूतिषु त्रिमात्रासु मामनासाद्य तिष्ठत

Transliteration

padātīnāṁ sahasrāṇi daṁśitāny ekaviṁśatiḥ | gavyūtiṣu trimātrāsu mām anāsādya tiṣṭhata ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Twenty-one thousand foot-soldiers, fully armed and ready, are standing at a distance of three gavyūtis, without coming into contact with me.”

Word by Word

पदातीनाम्of the foot-soldiers

सहस्राणिthousands

दंशितानिarmed/accoutred (with armor/weapons)

एकविंशतिःtwenty-one

गव्यूतिषुin (the measure of) gavyūtis / in gavyūti-distances

त्रिमात्रासुin three measures (of distance)

माम्me

अनासाद्यwithout reaching/attaining (me)

तिष्ठतstand (you all)! / remain!

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

infantry (padāti)

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 primarily functions as a factual battlefield report rather than a moral injunction: it highlights disciplined positioning and restraint—armed troops remain stationed at a measured distance, suggesting controlled strategy rather than impulsive engagement.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya informs the listener that a large body of infantry—twenty-one thousand, fully armed—has taken up a position three gavyūtis away and is not yet engaging him directly, indicating a tactical standoff or deliberate spacing in the battle formation.