Shloka 24

धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)

Devanagari script

एको5प्येषां महाराज समर्थ: संनिवारणे । समरे पाण्डवेयानां संक्रुद्धो ह्भिधावताम्‌

Transliteration

eko 'py eṣāṁ mahārāja samarthaḥ saṁnivāraṇe | samare pāṇḍaveyānāṁ saṁkruddho 'bhidhāvatām ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O great king, even a single one among them is capable of holding back the Pāṇḍava warriors in battle—especially when he is enraged and they come charging straight on.”

Word by Word

• एकः: alone, single
• एकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एषाम्: of these (men)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समर्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संनिवारणे: in checking/warding off
• संनिवारणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संनिवारण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाण्डवेयानाम्: of the Pandava warriors
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पाण्डवेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• संक्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभिधावताम्: of those charging/attacking
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

धघतयाट्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas (Pāṇḍaveyāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, a single exceptionally capable warrior can restrain a larger force—underscoring the ethical weight of individual power and the responsibility that comes with martial prowess.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to a kingly interlocutor, emphasizing the battlefield reality that even one of the opposing champions can check the Pāṇḍava fighters when angered and confronted by their direct assault.