Shloka 5

Devanagari script

दुर्योधनं विकर्ण च सनागमिव यूथपम्‌ | प्रभग्नमब्रवीद्‌ भीतं राजपुत्रं महाबल:,उसीने कृपाचार्य, द्रोणाचार्य, अश्वत्थामा, कर्ण, भीष्म और दुर्योधन--इन छहों महारथियोंको अपने बाणोंसे मारकर युद्धसे भगा दिया। वहाँ जैसे यूथयति गजराज अपने झुंडके हाथियोंसहित भागा जाता हो, उसी प्रकार दुर्योधन और विकर्ण आदि राजपुत्र भयभीत होकर भागने लगे; तब उस महाबली देवपुत्रने दुर्योधनसे कहा--

Transliteration

uttara uvāca |

duryodhanaṁ vikarṇaṁ ca sanāgam iva yūthapam |

prabhagnam abravīd bhītaṁ rājaputraṁ mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

ദുര്യോധനനും വികർണനും തങ്ങളുടെ കൂട്ടത്തോടുകൂടെ യൂഥപതി ഗജരാജനെപ്പോലെ തകർന്നു ഭയത്തോടെ ഓടിപ്പോകുമ്പോൾ, ആ മഹാബലൻ ഭീതനായ രാജപുത്രനോട് സംസാരിച്ചു।

Word by Word

दुर्योधनम्Duryodhana (as object)

विकर्णम्Vikarna (as object)

चand

सनागम्with (his) elephants/with the herd

इवlike, as if

यूथपम्a leader of a herd (elephant-leader)

प्रभग्नम्broken, routed, put to flight

अब्रवीत्said, spoke

भीतम्frightened

राजपुत्रम्the prince (king’s son)

महाबलःthe mighty one

Speaker

उत्तर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Uttara

Duryodhana

Vikarṇa

rājaputra (a prince)

yūthapa (herd-leader elephant, simile)

nāga (elephant/troop, in simile)

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 ethical contrast between true strength and mere status: in war, arrogance collapses when confronted by superior valor, and fear reveals the limits of pride. It also underscores kṣatriya-dharma ideals—steadfastness and composure—by depicting the shame of panic-driven flight.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being routed, Duryodhana and Vikarṇa flee in fear, compared to a leading elephant retreating with its herd. At that moment, a mighty warrior addresses the frightened prince, setting up the next speech/action in the episode.