Shloka 5

Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ

The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges

Devanagari script

सर्व बल॑ परित्यज्य दुर्ग संश्रित्य तिष्तति

Transliteration

sarva-balaṁ parityajya durgaṁ saṁśritya tiṣṭhati

Translation

Дхритараштра сказал: «Отказавшись от всякой военной поддержки, он укрылся в крепости и оставался там. Прежде он отошёл от всего войска и скрывался в твердыне один; затем, под натиском могущества Пандавов, жил в труднодоступных местах, непрестанно чиня помехи врагам и вместе с тем соблюдая праведный обычай».

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: army/force, strength
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Active, Non-finite

• दुर्गम्: fort
• दुर्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संश्रित्य: having taken refuge in, resorting to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-श्रि
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Active, Non-finite

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था
• Form: Lat (Present), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas
• durga (fort/stronghold)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare and tactical retreat, one is expected to uphold sadācāra (ethical discipline). The verse juxtaposes survival strategy (taking refuge in a fort, operating from difficult terrain) with the insistence on maintaining righteous conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes a figure who, after abandoning full military backing, hides in a fort. Later, compelled by the Pāṇḍavas’ power, he shifts to rugged, hard-to-reach regions and continues to hinder the enemy while claiming adherence to proper conduct.