Shloka 216

वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च

The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel

Devanagari script

दुर्योधन: सोमदत्तं परिवार्य समन्तत: । तदनन्तर दुर्योधन एक हजार रथों और दस हजार हाथियोंद्वारा सोमदत्तको चारों ओरसे घेरकर उनकी रक्षा करने लगा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | duryodhanaḥ somadattaṃ parivārya samantataḥ | tadanantaraṃ duryodhana eka-sahasra-rathaiḥ daśa-sahasra-hastibhiś ca somadattaṃ caturdiśaṃ parivārya tasya rakṣāṃ kartum ārabdhavān |

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—दुर्योधनः सोमदत्तं समन्ततः परिवार्य, तदनन्तरं सहस्रेण रथानां दशसाहस्रेण च गजानां सर्वतोऽभिवृत्य तस्य रक्षां चकार।

Word by Word

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सोमदत्तम्: Somadatta
• सोमदत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परिवार्य: having surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृ (वृणोति/वृ)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active, Prior action (having done)

• समन्ततः: on all sides, all around
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

सयजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Somadatta
• chariots
• elephants

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, a ruler’s choices reveal priorities: protecting key allies and elders can be seen as loyalty and strategic prudence, but it also highlights the heavy costs and moral weight of sustaining a violent campaign.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana forms a protective encirclement around Somadatta, deploying a large force of chariots and elephants to guard him from attack on all sides.