Shloka 41

पाण्डवानां पाञ्चालगमनम्

The Pāṇḍavas’ Journey toward Pāñcāla and News of the Svayaṃvara

Devanagari script

उस समय अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी भारी वर्षसे घायल होकर विश्वामित्रकी सेनाके पाँव उखड़ गये और उनके सामने ही वे सभी योद्धा भयभीत हो सब ओर भाग चले

Transliteration

tadā astrāśastra-vṛṣṭyā bhṛśaṃ viddhā viśvāmitrasya senā pādāḥ pracyutāḥ | tasya purata eva te sarve yoddhā bhayabhītā diśo diśaḥ prādravan |

Translation

ਫਿਰ ਅਸਤ੍ਰ-ਸ਼ਸਤ੍ਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਘਣੀ ਵਰਖਾ ਨਾਲ ਘਾਇਲ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਦੀ ਫੌਜ ਦੇ ਪੈਰ ਉਖੜ ਗਏ ਅਤੇ ਕਤਾਰਾਂ ਟੁੱਟ ਗਈਆਂ। ਉਸ ਦੀਆਂ ਅੱਖਾਂ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਹੀ ਉਹ ਸਾਰੇ ਯੋਧੇ ਡਰ ਨਾਲ ਘਿਰ ਕੇ ਹਰ ਪਾਸੇ ਭੱਜ ਪਏ।

Word by Word

तदाthen/at that time

अस्त्रmissile/weapon

शस्त्रhand-weapon

भारीheavy

वर्षयाby a shower/rain (of weapons)

घायलःwounded

भूत्वाhaving become

विश्वामित्रस्यof Viśvāmitra

सेनायाःof the army

पादाःfeet/footing

उखण्डिताःwere uprooted/shaken

अभवन्became/were

तेषाम्of them/their

पुरतःin front (of them)

एवindeed/just

तेthey

सर्वेall

योद्धारःwarriors

भयभीताःfrightened

भूत्वाhaving become

सर्वतःon all sides

प्राद्रवन्ran away/fled

Speaker

गन्धर्व उवाच

Characters & Entities

Viśvāmitra

Viśvāmitra’s army

astrāṇi (missile-weapons)

śastrāṇi (hand-weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights a moral-psychological truth of warfare: when fear overwhelms discipline, even a strong army collapses. It implicitly contrasts steadfastness and leadership with panic-driven flight, reminding that courage and order are essential to uphold kṣātra-dharma in crisis.

What is happening in the narrative?

A fierce barrage of missiles and weapons wounds and destabilizes Viśvāmitra’s forces. In full view of Viśvāmitra, the warriors lose formation and flee in all directions, indicating a decisive moment of rout.