Shloka 57

इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्

Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment

Devanagari script

पलायनकृतोत्साह: प्राद्रवद्‌ येन वै वनम्‌ । सैन्धवं त्वभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य पराक्रान्तं पलायने

Transliteration

palāyanakṛtotsāhaḥ prādravad yena vai vanam | saindhavaṃ tv abhisamprekṣya parākrāntaṃ palāyane

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಪಲಾಯನದಲ್ಲೇ ತನ್ನ ಉತ್ಸಾಹವನ್ನು ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡವನು ಅರಣ್ಯದತ್ತ ಓಡಿಹೋದನು. ಸೈಂಧವ (ಜಯದ್ರಥ)ನೂ ಪಲಾಯನಕ್ಕೆಲೇ ತೊಡಗಿರುವುದನ್ನು ಕಂಡಾಗ, ಅದು ಭೀತಿಯಿಂದಾದ ಹಿಂಜರಿತವಾಗಿ ತೋರ್ಪಟ್ಟಿತು; ಅದರ ಹಿಂದೆ ಬೆನ್ನಟ್ಟುವಿಕೆ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ತೀವ್ರವಾಯಿತು.

Word by Word

पलायनकृतोत्साहःwhose zeal was for flight / intent on fleeing

प्राद्रवत्ran forth / fled

येनby whom / by which

वैindeed

वनम्the forest

सैन्धवम्the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)

तुbut

अभिसम्प्रेक्ष्यhaving looked at / having observed

पराक्रान्तम्having advanced / having set out

पलायनेin flight / in fleeing

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Saindhava (Jayadratha)

forest (vana)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores an epic ethic: fear-based flight (palāyana) is not merely tactical withdrawal but a moral failing that invites dishonor and pursuit; courage and accountability are expected, especially of a kṣatriya.

What is happening in the narrative?

A figure runs into the forest with the intention of escaping; upon noticing the Sindhu prince (Jayadratha) also moving to flee, the scene frames a chase and the unraveling of the offender’s attempt to evade consequences.