Shloka 423

त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः

Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya

Devanagari script

द्राव्यमाणान्यदृश्यन्त सौबलेन महात्मना । महामना शकुनिने घमंडमें भरे हुए उन शस्त्रसम्पन्न महान्‌ सैनिकोंको भगा दिया। यह सब हमने अपनी आँखों देखा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | drāvyamāṇāny adṛśyanta saubalena mahātmanā | mahāmanā śakuninā ||

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಸುಬಲನ ಪುತ್ರನಾದ ಮಹಾತ್ಮ, ಮಹಾಮನಸ್ಕ ಶಕುನಿಯು ಶಸ್ತ್ರಸಂಪನ್ನರೂ ಗರ್ವಭರಿತರೂ ಆದ ಆ ಮಹಾಯೋಧರನ್ನು ಓಡಿಸಿ ಹಾಕಿದನು; ಅವರು ಓಡಿಸಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಂಡರು. ಇದನ್ನೆಲ್ಲ ನಾವು ನಮ್ಮ ಕಣ್ಣಾರೆ ಕಂಡೆವು.

Word by Word

• द्राव्यमाणानि: being driven away / being put to flight
• द्राव्यमाणानि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्राव्यमाण (√द्रु/द्राव् + यमाण, कर्मणि वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• अदृश्यन्त: were seen / appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (लङ्, आत्मनेपद)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

• सौबलेन: by the son of Subala (Shakuni)
• सौबलेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल (शकुनि-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Shakuni (Saubala, son of Subala)
• Subala

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride and mere armament do not guarantee steadiness in battle; resolve and tactical force can scatter even well-equipped fighters. Ethically, it underscores the Mahabharata’s recurring warning against overconfidence (mada/garva) amid the demands of kshatriya conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra what he witnessed on the battlefield: Shakuni, identified as Saubala (son of Subala), drove opposing warriors into flight, and this rout was plainly visible to the observers.