Shloka 42

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १६२: प्रातःसंध्यायां युद्धप्रवृत्तिः तथा रजोमेघे संमूढता

Devanagari script

सर्वपाञ्चालसेनाभि: संवृतो रथसत्तम: | नाकम्पत महाबाहु: स्ववीर्य समुपाश्रित:

Transliteration

sarvapāñcālasenābhiḥ saṃvṛto rathasattamaḥ | nākampata mahābāhuḥ svavīryam upāśritaḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସମସ୍ତ ପାଞ୍ଚାଳ ସେନା ଦ୍ୱାରା ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦିଗରୁ ଘେରାଯାଇଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେ ରଥସତ୍ତମ ମହାବାହୁ ନିଜ ବୀର୍ୟର ଆଶ୍ରୟ ନେଇ କିଛିମାତ୍ର କମ୍ପିଲେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

सर्वपाञ्चालसेनाभिःby/with the entire Pāñcāla army

संवृतःsurrounded/covered

रथसत्तमःthe best of chariot-warriors

नnot

अकम्पत्shook/trembled

महाबाहुःthe mighty-armed one

स्ववीर्यम्his own valor/strength

समुपाश्रितःhaving resorted to/depending on

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcāla army (Pāñcālas)

rathasattama (a foremost chariot-warrior, unnamed in this verse)

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 underscores steadfast courage: even when surrounded by overwhelming forces, a warrior grounded in inner strength and trained valor should not lose composure. Ethically, it praises self-mastery and firmness of purpose amid fear-inducing circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a leading chariot-warrior is encircled by the Pāñcāla troops, yet he remains unshaken. The line functions as a battlefield snapshot emphasizing the hero’s composure and resilience under siege.