Mahabharata 9.28.25 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 28, Shloka 25

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — दुर्योधनस्य ह्रदप्रवेशः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Duryodhana’s Entry into the Lake

Devanagari script

तांस्तथा पुरतो दृष्टवा सौबलस्य पदानुगान्‌

Transliteration

tāṁs tathā purato dṛṣṭvā saubalasya padānugān

Translation

അവരെ അങ്ങനെ തന്നെ മുന്നിൽ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ— സുബലപുത്രൻ ശകുനിയുടെ പാത പിന്തുടർന്നവരെ—

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• पुरतः: in front/ahead
• पुरतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for absolutive)

• सौबलस्य: of Saubala (Shakuni)
• सौबलस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पदानुगान्: followers (those who go after his footsteps)
• पदानुगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदानुग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubala (Śakuni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral risk of uncritical imitation: following a leader’s ‘footsteps’—especially one known for cunning—can entangle people in ethically compromised actions and destructive outcomes in the pressure of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a group is seen directly ahead, identified as those aligned with and acting under Saubala (Śakuni), indicating the presence and movement of Śakuni’s adherents on the battlefield.