Shloka 27

Devanagari script

धमन्ति कौरवा: शड्खान्‌ यस्य वीर्य समाश्रिता: । यत्र ते संशयो राजन्‌ न्‍्यस्तशस्त्रे गुरी हते

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | dhamanti kauravāḥ śaṅkhān yasya vīrya-samāśritāḥ | yatra te saṁśayo rājan nyasta-śastre gurau hate ||

Translation

アルジュナは言った。「クル軍は一人の武勇にすがり、法螺貝を吹き鳴らしている。だが王よ—武器を捨てたまま、敬うべき師が討たれた今、彼らの自信はどこにあるのか。」

Word by Word

धमन्तिthey blow (sound)

कौरवाःthe Kauravas

शङ्खान्conches

यस्यof whom/whose

वीर्यम्valor, prowess

समाश्रिताःhaving resorted to, relying on

यत्रwhere

तेthey/those (men)

संशयःdoubt, uncertainty

राजन्O king

न्यस्त-शस्त्रेwhen (his) weapon was laid down / in one who has laid down his weapon

गुरौin/when the teacher (Droṇa)

हतेwhen slain / upon being killed

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Kauravas

śaṅkha (conch)

guru (the preceptor—contextually Droṇa)

rājan (the King—contextually Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical shock of war: outward displays of confidence (conches, rallying cries) can mask inner doubt when victory is gained through morally troubling means—especially the killing of a revered teacher who is unarmed. It implicitly questions whether success obtained by violating reverence and fair combat can sustain true courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna comments on the Kauravas’ war-signals (blowing conches) and points to their reliance on a champion’s strength, then contrasts it with their present uncertainty after the fall of their guru (understood as Droṇa), killed in a state described as having laid down weapons—an event that destabilizes their morale and raises moral tension in the battle’s conduct.