Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वे युद्धकी विचित्र पद्धतियोंके ज्ञाता थे। उन्होंने मायामय अस्त्रका आश्रय लेकर युद्ध आरम्भ किया। चित्रसेनकी उस मायासे समस्त कौरवोंपर मोह छा गया ।। एकैको हि तदा योधो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य भारत । पर्यवर्तत गन्धर्वैर्दशभिर्दशभि: सह,भारत! उस समय दुर्योधनका एक-एक सैनिक दस-दस गन्धर्वोके साथ लोहा ले रहा था

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | te yuddhake vicitra-paddhatīnāṃ jñātā āsan | te māyāmaya-astram āśritya yuddham ārabdhavantaḥ | citrasenasya tasyā māyayā samasteṣu kauraveṣu mohaḥ samacchāditaḥ || ekaiko hi tadā yodho dhārtarāṣṭrasya bhārata | paryavartata gandharvair daśabhir daśabhiḥ saha ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Skilled in diverse and wondrous modes of combat, they began the battle by resorting to illusory weapons. Under Citrasena’s magic, delusion spread over all the Kauravas. Then, O Bhārata, each individual warrior of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s host found himself contending—turning and fighting—against groups of ten Gandharvas at a time.

Word by Word

एकैकःeach single (one by one)

हिindeed/for

तदाthen/at that time

योधःwarrior/soldier

धार्तराष्ट्रस्यof Dhritarashtra’s (i.e., of Duryodhana/Kaurava)

भारतO Bharata

पर्यवर्ततfought/engaged (turned about in combat)

गन्धर्वैःwith/against the Gandharvas

दशभिःwith ten

दशभिःwith ten (each with ten)

सहtogether with

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Citrasena

Kauravas

Dhārtarāṣṭras (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s army/party)

Gandharvas

Bhārata (Janamejaya as addressee)

māyāmaya astra (illusory weapon)

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 passage highlights how māyā (illusion) can overwhelm discernment (viveka) even in the midst of strength and valor; ethical clarity in conflict is fragile when deception and bewilderment dominate, and mere martial prowess is insufficient without steadiness of mind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Citrasena and the Gandharvas, expert in unusual battle-techniques, initiate combat using magical/illusory weapons. Their māyā casts delusion over the Kauravas, and the fighting becomes chaotic—each Dhārtarāṣṭra warrior ends up battling groups of ten Gandharvas.