Shloka 20

Droṇasya raudra-prayogaḥ

Droṇa’s intensified assault and the Pāṇḍava response

Devanagari script

हृष्टाश्ष बहवो योधास्तत्राजल्पन्त वेगत:

Transliteration

hṛṣṭāś ca bahavo yodhās tatrājalpanta vegataḥ

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。そこでは多くの戦士が胸を躍らせ、早口に、興奮して語り始めた—戦の熱と勢いから生まれた、気概あふれる言葉の噴出であった。

Word by Word

• हृष्टाः: delighted, exhilarated
• हृष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हृष्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अजल्पन्त: chattered, spoke (noisily)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जल्प्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• वेगतः: swiftly, with speed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वेग (तस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• warriors (yodhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how strong emotions in war—exhilaration and the rush of momentum—can drive speech and behavior. Ethically, it points to the volatility of the battlefield mind: excitement can amplify impulsiveness, reminding readers that self-control and discernment are easily shaken amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, at that moment on the battlefield, many warriors were visibly delighted and began talking rapidly and excitedly, suggesting a surge of confidence or agitation as events in the fighting unfold.