Shloka 75

Devanagari script

एकी भावमनुप्राप्ते नद्याविव समागमे । जैसे दो नदियाँ परस्पर संगम होनेपर एक हो जाती हैं, उसी प्रकार वे वेगवती सेनाएँ परस्पर मिलकर एकीभावको प्राप्त हो गयीं ।। ७४ $ ।। ततः प्रववृते युद्ध घोररूपं विशाम्पते

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ekībhāvam anuprāpte nadyāv iva samāgame | tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ viśāmpate ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: When the two forces met, they merged into a single mass, like two rivers becoming one at their confluence. Then, O lord of men, a battle of dreadful aspect burst forth.

Word by Word

एकीभावम्state of becoming one, unity

अनुप्राप्तेwhen (it was) attained/reached

नद्यौtwo rivers

इवlike, as

समागमेat the meeting/confluence

ततःthen, thereafter

प्रववृतेarose, began, commenced

युद्धम्battle, war

घोररूपम्of dreadful form, terrible

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people (king)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhritarashtra

two armies

rivers (simile)

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 uses the confluence-of-rivers simile to show how, once opposing forces fully engage, individual identities blur into a single, unstoppable current—highlighting the grave momentum of war and the ethical urgency of restraint before conflict becomes irreversible.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that the two armies have met and intermingled like rivers at a confluence; immediately afterward, a terrifying battle begins.