Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ननु रुक्मरथं दृष्टवा प्राद्रवन्ति सम पाण्डवा:

Transliteration

nanu rukmarathaṁ dṛṣṭvā prādravanti sma pāṇḍavāḥ

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Surely, on seeing Rukmaratha, the Pāṇḍavas at once rushed forward.” The line conveys the king’s anxious attention to battlefield momentum—how the sight of a particular warrior can trigger immediate tactical movement and renewed engagement in the struggle for a righteous outcome amid war’s moral strain.

Word by Word

• ननु: indeed; surely; well
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ननु

• रुक्मरथम्: Rukmaratha (proper name)
• रुक्मरथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मरथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• प्राद्रवन्ति: they run forth; they rush
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• समम्: together; all at once; equally
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Rukmaratha
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how perception and recognition on the battlefield immediately shape action: a notable opponent’s appearance can catalyze decisive movement. Ethically, it reflects the tension between strategic necessity and the larger dharmic aim—acting swiftly in war while remaining oriented to rightful purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing the war report, remarks that when the Pāṇḍavas saw the warrior named Rukmaratha, they rushed forward at once—signaling a renewed clash and a tactical response to an identified combatant.