Shloka 121

Devanagari script

तावकानां परेषां च नर्दतां च मुहुर्मुहु: । पार्था विमनसो भूत्वा न्यवर्तन्त महारथा: । चिन्तयन्तो वध घोर द्वैरथेन परंतपा:

Transliteration

tāvakānāṁ pareṣāṁ ca nardatāṁ ca muhur muhuḥ | pārthā vimanaso bhūtvā nyavartanta mahārathāḥ | cintayanto vadhaṁ ghoraṁ dvairathena parantapāḥ ||

Translation

ସେ ସମୟରେ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ପକ୍ଷ ଓ ପ୍ରତିପକ୍ଷର ସେନାମାନେ ବାରମ୍ବାର ଗର୍ଜନ କରୁଥିଲେ। ସେଇ ଦ୍ୱୈରଥ ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଘଟିଥିବା ଭୟଙ୍କର ସଂହାରକୁ ଚିନ୍ତା କରି, ଶତ୍ରୁସନ୍ତାପକ ପାର୍ଥ ମହାରଥୀମାନେ ମନ ଭାଙ୍ଗି ଫେରିଗଲେ ଏବଂ ବ୍ୟଥିତ ଚିତ୍ତରେ ଶିବିରକୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାବର୍ତ୍ତନ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• तावकानाम्: of your (people)
• तावकानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• परेषाम्: of the others/enemies
• परेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• नर्दताम्: of (those) roaring
• नर्दताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नर्द्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• पार्थाः: the sons of Pritha (Pandavas)
• पार्थाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विमनसः: dejected, dispirited
• विमनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā), Parasmaipada, Non-finite

• न्यवर्तन्त: they turned back/returned
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Atmanepada

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चिन्तयन्तः: thinking, reflecting
• चिन्तयन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वधम्: slaughter, killing
• वधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्वैरथेन: by/through the chariot-duel
• द्वैरथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वैरथ
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• परंतपाः: foe-scorchers
• परंतपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tāvakānām')
• Kaurava army (tāvakāḥ)
• Opposing army (pare)
• Pārthas / Pāṇḍavas
• Mahārathas
• Dvairatha (chariot duel)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a dharmic war, the narrative highlights the moral and psychological weight of violence: heroic duty does not erase the sorrow and anxiety that follow dreadful slaughter, and warriors may recoil inwardly when confronted with its cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that amid repeated battle-roars from both armies, the Pāṇḍava great chariot-warriors become dejected, reflect on the terrible killing caused by a chariot duel, and withdraw/return to their camp.