Shloka 131

युधिष्ठिरस्य कृष्णार्जुनादि-समाश्वासनम्

Yudhiṣṭhira’s reassurance and praise of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Bhīma, and Sātyaki

Devanagari script

ननु नाम त्वया वीर दीर्यमाणा भयार्दिता । स्वबाहुबलमास्थाय रक्षितव्या हनीकिनी

Transliteration

nanu nāma tvayā vīra dīryamāṇā bhayārditā | svabāhubalam āsthāya rakṣitavyā hanīkinī ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ବୀର! ତୁମ ସେନା ଛିନ୍ନଭିନ୍ନ ହେଉଥିଲା ଏବଂ ଭୟରେ ଆର୍ତ୍ତ ଥିଲା; ସେତେବେଳେ ନିଜ ବାହୁବଳକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରି ତୁମେ ହିଁ ସେ ଵାହିନୀକୁ ରକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ଥିଲା।

Word by Word

ननुindeed; surely; now then

नामindeed; emphatic particle

त्वयाby you

वीरO hero

दीर्यमाणाbeing torn/being split

भयार्दिताafflicted by fear

स्वone's own

बाहुarm

बलम्strength; force

आस्थायhaving relied on; having taken refuge in

रक्षितव्याto be protected; should be protected

हनीकिनीarmy; host (troop/force)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

व

वीर (addressed warrior, unspecified in this verse)

ह

हनीकिनी (the army/host)

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 stresses kṣatriya-leadership as dharma: when one’s troops are endangered and fearful, a commander must not withdraw into self-preservation but must protect them through personal valor and steadfast responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield events, delivers a pointed reminder to a warrior-leader that the army, shaken and being destroyed, should have been defended by him through his own martial strength—implying a lapse or insufficiency in protection at a critical moment.