Shloka 3

Devanagari script

भूत्वा हि विपुला सेना तावकानां परै: सह | अन्योन्यं समर प्राप्प किंचिच्छेषा विशाम्पते

Transliteration

bhūtvā hi vipulā senā tāvakānāṃ paraiḥ saha | anyonyaṃ samare prāpya kiñciccheṣā viśāṃpate ||

Translation

Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai tuan rakyat jelata, bala tentera tuanku yang besar, setelah bertemu pasukan musuh di medan perang dan saling menghentam, kini tinggal berbaki sedikit sahaja.”

Word by Word

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• विपुला: vast
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• सेना: army
• सेना: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तावकानाम्: of your (side’s) men / of the Kauravas
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परैः: with the enemies / by the foes
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually / each other
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: adverbial accusative

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having reached/encountered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive), कर्तरि, —, —, —

• किञ्चित्: somewhat / a little
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किञ्चित्

• शेषा: remaining
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• विशाम्: of the people/subjects
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश् (प्रातिपदिक: विश्/विश)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Plural

• पते: O lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by viśāṃpate)
• Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)
• Enemy forces (parāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral and practical consequence of war: even a mighty force, once locked in mutual slaughter, can quickly dwindle to a mere remnant—highlighting the fragility of power and the heavy cost of adharma-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava host, though once immense, has met the opposing army in fierce combat and, through mutual killing, has been left only partially surviving.