Shloka 28

Devanagari script

धनंजये कथं नाथे पाण्डवे च वृकोदरे | नकुले सहदेवे च भीतिरभ्येति पाण्डवम्‌,'पाण्डुनन्दन धनंजय, वृकोदर भीम तथा नकुल-सहदेव-जैसे सहायकोंके रहते हुए युधिष्ठिरके मनमें भय कैसे हो गया!

Transliteration

dhanañjaye kathaṁ nāthe pāṇḍave ca vṛkodare | nakule sahadeve ca bhītir abhyeti pāṇḍavam ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: “Como poderia o medo surgir no coração do Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira), quando Dhanañjaya Arjuna está ali como seu nobre protetor, e quando Vṛkodara Bhīma, com Nakula e Sahadeva, se encontram presentes como aliados firmes?”

Word by Word

धनंजयेin/when Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) is (present)

कथम्how

नाथेwhen a protector/lord is (present)

पाण्डवेin/when (the) Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira) is (there)

चand

वृकोदरेin/when Vṛkodara (Bhīma) is (present)

नकुलेin/when Nakula is (present)

सहदेवेin/when Sahadeva is (present)

चand

भीतिःfear

अभ्येतिapproaches, comes upon

पाण्डवम्the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

Nakula

Sahadeva

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 highlights the ethical expectation of courage and steadiness in a righteous leader: when capable protectors and loyal allies are present, fear is seen as a lapse in confidence and resolve, especially in the context of dharma-yuddha where inner firmness supports just action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, expresses surprise that Yudhiṣṭhira feels fear even though he is supported by his powerful brothers—Arjuna as chief protector, Bhīma as formidable strength, and Nakula-Sahadeva as reliable companions—underscoring the tension and uncertainty on the battlefield.