Shloka 21

दुःशासनवधः (Duḥśāsana-vadha) — Bhīma’s vow-fulfillment in combat

Devanagari script

ततः सर्वा दिशो राजन्‌ सायकैर्विप्रमोहयन्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ sarvā diśo rājan sāyakair vipramohayan

Translation

ਤਦ, ਹੇ ਰਾਜਨ! ਉਹ ਤੀਰਾਂ ਦੀ ਝੜੀ ਨਾਲ ਸਭ ਦਿਸ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਹਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੋਇਆ ਰਣਭੂਮੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰੀ ਭੁਲਾਵਾ ਤੇ ਗੁੰਝਲ ਫੈਲਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दिशः: directions; quarters
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विप्रमोहयन्: bewildering; confounding
• विप्रमोहयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-प्र-मुह्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• sāyaka (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how overwhelming force can generate moha (disorientation) not only in opponents but in the very field of action; ethically, it cautions that power without clarity can obscure right judgment and intensify chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a warrior (implied from context) is shooting so many arrows that all directions seem confused, indicating a fierce exchange where visibility, orientation, and tactical order break down.