Shloka 25

रणभूमिवर्णनम् — Devāsuropama-yuddha and the ‘River’ Metaphor of the Battlefield

Devanagari script

सव्ये5भूत्‌ कृतवर्मा च त्रिगर्ती: परिवारित:

Transliteration

savye 'bhūt kṛtavarmā ca trigartīḥ parivāritaḥ | vyūhake vāma-bhāge trigartaiḥ parivāritaḥ kṛtavarmā sthitaḥ | dakṣiṇa-pārśve śaka-yavana-senayā saha kṛpācāryaḥ | pṛṣṭha-bhāge kāmbojaiḥ parivṛto 'śvatthāmā sthitaḥ |

Translation

Санджая сказал: На левом крыле стоял Критаварма, окружённый тригартами. На правом — Крипачарья, при нём войска шак и яванов. А в тылу стоял Ашваттхама, обступленный камбоджами. Так было выстроено боевое построение кауравов: закалённые военачальники прикрывали фланги и тыл, являя мрачную решимость удерживать войну силой строевой дисциплины и союзного войска.

Word by Word

• सव्ये: on the left (side)
• सव्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अभूत्: was / stood
• अभूत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Aorist (simple past), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कृतवर्मा: Kṛtavarmā
• कृतवर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतवर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिगर्तीः: the Trigartas
• त्रिगर्तीः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगर्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परिवारितः: surrounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + वृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛtavarmā
• Trigartas
• Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
• Śakas
• Yavanas
• Aśvatthāmā
• Kāmbojas
• Vyūha (battle-array)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of war as a disciplined, collective undertaking: commanders and allied groups are placed to protect the formation. It underscores how leadership, organization, and alliances can sustain conflict—raising the Mahābhārata’s recurring reflection that martial skill and strategic order do not by themselves guarantee righteousness (dharma), even when performed as kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the Kaurava troop disposition within a battle-array: Kṛtavarmā holds the left flank with the Trigartas, Kṛpācārya holds the right with Śaka and Yavana forces, and Aśvatthāmā guards the rear surrounded by Kāmbojas.