Shloka 23

Devanagari script

कर्णेनाभ्याहता राजन्‌ पञ्चाला: परमेषुभि: । द्रोणेन च दिश: सर्वा वीक्षमाणा: प्रदुद्र॒ुवु:,राजन! कर्ण और द्रोणाचार्यके चलाये हुए उत्तम बाणोंसे घायल होकर पांचाल-सैनिक सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंकी ओर देखते हुए भाग रहे थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

karṇenābhyāhatā rājan pāñcālāḥ parameṣubhiḥ |

droṇena ca diśaḥ sarvā vīkṣamāṇāḥ pradudruvuḥ ||

Translation

ରାଜନ! କର୍ଣ୍ଣଙ୍କ ଉତ୍ତମ ଶରରେ ଏବଂ ଦ୍ରୋଣାଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କ ବାଣରେ ଆହତ ହୋଇ ପାଞ୍ଚାଳ ସେନା ସମସ୍ତ ଦିଗକୁ ଚାହିଁ ଚାହିଁ ପଳାଇଗଲା।

Word by Word

कर्णेनby Karna

अभ्याहताःstruck, wounded

राजन्O king

पञ्चालाःthe Panchalas

परमेषुभिःwith excellent arrows

द्रोणेनby Drona

चand

दिशःdirections

सर्वाःall

वीक्षमाणाःlooking (towards), glancing

प्रदुद्रुवुःthey ran away, fled

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by rājan)

Karṇa

Droṇa

Pāñcālas

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming force and skilled leadership can shatter morale: when fear spreads, discipline collapses and soldiers scatter. Ethically, it underscores that in war, inner steadiness and cohesion are as decisive as weapons; panic leads to disorder and vulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that the Pāñcāla troops, wounded by Karṇa’s excellent arrows and pressed by Droṇa as well, look around in alarm and flee in all directions, indicating a rout on that part of the battlefield.