Shloka 17
Devanagari script
सेनापतिस्तु समरे प्राह सेनां महारथ:
Transliteration
senāpatistu samare prāha senāṁ mahārathaḥ
Translation
तेव्हा समरात सेनापती—तो महारथी—सेनेला म्हणाला।
Word by Word
सेनापतिःthe commander (of the army)
सेनापतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसेनापति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
समरेin battle
समरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसमर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
प्राहsaid/spoke
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र+अह्
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सेनाम्the army
सेनाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसेना
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
महारथःthe great chariot-warrior
महारथः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहारथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaS
senāpati (commander-in-chief)S
senā (army)M
mahāratha (great chariot-warrior)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
Even amid violence and confusion, leadership is framed as a duty: the commander must speak clearly and direct the army responsibly, reflecting the disciplined execution of kṣatriya-dharma rather than impulsive aggression.
Sañjaya reports that, during the battle, the army’s commander—described as a mahāratha—addresses the troops, signaling a moment of command and coordination within the unfolding combat.