Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यथा त्रस्यन्ति भूतानि सर्वाण्यशनिनि:स्वनात्‌ । तथा शड्खप्रणादेन वित्रेसुस्तव सैनिका:,जैसे वज़्की गड़गड़ाहटसे सारे प्राणी थर्रा उठते हैं, उसी प्रकार उन दोनों वीरोंकी शंखध्वनिसे आपके समस्त सैनिक संत्रस्त हो उठे

Transliteration

yathā trasyanti bhūtāni sarvāṇy aśaniniḥsvanāt | tathā śaṅkhapraṇādena vitresus tava sainikāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Just as all creatures tremble when the thunderbolt roars, so too did your entire army recoil in fear at the blaring call of the conches. In the moral atmosphere of this war, the sound becomes more than noise—it signals the surge of resolve and the collapse of courage in those who waver.”

Word by Word

यथाjust as

त्रस्यन्तिtremble, are frightened

भूतानिcreatures, beings

सर्वाणिall

अशनिनिःस्वनात्from the thunder-like sound (lit. sound of the thunderbolt)

तथाso, in the same way

शङ्खप्रणादेनby the conch-blast

वित्रेसुःtrembled, were terrified

तवyour

सैनिकाःsoldiers

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

conch (śaṅkha)

Kaurava army (tava sainikāḥ)

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 how fear and courage spread through armies via symbols and signals: a powerful, righteous or confident proclamation (here, the conch-blast) can shatter the morale of those already inwardly uncertain. Ethically, it points to the inner state—steadfastness versus wavering—as decisive in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the conch-blast of the opposing heroes resounded like thunder, and that this sound caused the Kaurava troops to tremble and panic, indicating a sudden shift in battlefield confidence.