Shloka 12

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनमुपासन्ते परिवार्य समन्तत: । कृपप्रभृतयश्चैते हतशेषा: सहोदरा:

Transliteration

duryodhanam upāsante parivārya samantataḥ | kṛpaprabhṛtayaś caite hataśeṣāḥ sahodarāḥ ||

Translation

കൃപാചാര്യൻ മുതലായ ശേഷിച്ച യോദ്ധാക്കൾ ദുർയോധനനെ ചുറ്റും വളഞ്ഞ് അവന്റെ സമീപത്ത് സേവയിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; ഇവർ സംഹാരത്തിൽ നിന്ന് ശേഷിച്ച സഹോദരസമ സഹയോദ്ധാക്കളാണ്.

Word by Word

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana (as object)

उपासन्तेthey attend/serve

परिवार्यhaving surrounded

समन्ततःon all sides

कृपKripa

प्रभृतयःand others beginning with (him)

चand

एतेthese

हतशेषाःthose remaining after being slain (the survivors)

सहोदराःbrothers (born of the same mother)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duryodhana

Kṛpa

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 moral atmosphere of war’s end: when destruction has thinned the ranks, what remains is a small circle of loyalty around a leader. It implicitly contrasts steadfast companionship with the tragic cost of adharma-driven conflict—survival itself becomes a reminder of the fallen and the consequences of choices.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Duryodhana is being closely attended by the few Kaurava warriors who are still alive, with Kṛpa foremost among them. They surround him on all sides, indicating a reduced, defensive remnant force after heavy casualties.