Shloka 18

Saṃjaya’s Warning to Dhṛtarāṣṭra: Accountability, Alliance-Shift, and the Pāṇḍava Strategic Edge

Devanagari script

शाल्वेया: शूरसेनाश्व सर्वे त्वामवजानते । पार्थ होते गता: सर्वे वीर्यज्ञास्तस्थ धीमत:

Transliteration

śālvayāḥ śūrasenāś ca sarve tvām avajānate | pārtha-hote gatāḥ sarve vīryajñās tasthuḥ dhīmataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Kaum Śālva dan Śūrasena—semuanya—memandang hina tuanku. Mengetahui keperkasaan Pārtha (Arjuna) yang bijaksana, mereka semua telah berpihak kepadanya.”

Word by Word

• {'śālvayāḥ': 'the Śālvas (people/kingdom of Śālva)', 'śūrasenāḥ': 'the Śūrasenas (people/kingdom of Śūrasena)', 'sarve': 'all', 'tvām': 'you', 'avajānate': 'disregard, slight, treat with contempt', 'pārtha': 'son of Pṛthā

• Arjuna', 'hote (hote/hetau)': 'for the sake of

• on account of (sense: ‘because of/for’)', 'gatāḥ': 'gone, departed

• gone over (to a side)', 'vīryajñāḥ': 'knowers of valor

• those who recognize martial prowess', 'tasthuḥ': 'stood

• remained (firmly positioned)', 'dhīmataḥ': 'of the intelligent/wise one (genitive

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Śālva (Śālvayaḥ)
• Śūrasena (Śūrasenāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Political legitimacy in a kṣatriya world follows perceived strength and discernment: rulers align with the side whose valor and strategic wisdom they recognize, and contempt arises when leadership appears weakened or isolated.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports shifting alliances: the Śālvas and Śūrasenas are said to disregard the addressed party and, recognizing Arjuna’s prowess, have moved to Arjuna’s camp, strengthening the Pāṇḍava position before war.