Shloka 383

Devanagari script

निषसाद रथोपस्थे भृशं सम्मूढचेतन: । कानोंतक खींचकर चलाये हुए उस बाणसे घायल हो कुरुवंशी दुर्योधन अत्यन्त मूर्च्छित हो गया और रथके पिछले भागमें धम्मसे बैठ गया

Transliteration

niṣasāda rathopasthe bhṛśaṃ sammūḍhacetanāḥ |

Translation

ਸੰਜਯ ਨੇ ਆਖਿਆ— ਉਸ ਤੀਰ ਦੀ ਚੋਟ ਨਾਲ ਘਾਇਲ ਹੋ ਕੇ, ਮਨੋਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਵਿਹਲ ਕੁਰੂਵੰਸ਼ੀ ਦੁਰਯੋਧਨ ਗਹਿਰੀ ਮੂਰਛਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਡਿੱਗ ਪਿਆ ਅਤੇ ਰਥ ਦੇ ਪਿੱਛਲੇ ਹਿੱਸੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਧਮਾਕੇ ਨਾਲ ਬੈਠ ਗਿਆ।

Word by Word

• निषसाद: sat down
• Type: Verb
• Root: सद् (सीदति) + नि
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रथोपस्थे: on the seat of the chariot
• रथोपस्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + उपस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भृशम्: excessively, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृश

• सम्मूढचेतनः: one whose consciousness was utterly bewildered (stunned)
• सम्मूढचेतनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्मूढ + चेतन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Kuru lineage (Kuravaṃśa)
• chariot
• arrow

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of martial pride and political power: in a moment, injury and shock can reduce a mighty king to helplessness. Ethically, it points to the heavy cost of a war pursued through adharma—where ambition and hostility culminate in suffering and loss of agency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, struck by an arrow and mentally overwhelmed, loses consciousness and collapses onto the rear portion of his chariot, indicating a sudden turning point in the immediate combat situation.