Shloka 109

Devanagari script

राक्षसाश्न पिशाचाश्न यातुधानास्तथैव च । शालावृकाश्न बहवो वृकाश्न विकृतानना:,उस समय बहुत-से राक्षस, पिशाच, यातुधान, कुत्ते और विकराल मुखवाले भेड़िये कर्णको काटनेके लिये सब ओरसे उसपर टूट पड़े और अपनी भयंकर गर्जनाओंद्वारा उसे भयभीत करने लगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

rākṣasāś ca piśācāś ca yātudhānās tathaiva ca |

śālāvṛkāś ca bahavo vṛkāś ca vikṛtānanāḥ ||

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—तदा बहवो राक्षसाः पिशाचाश्च यातुधानाश्च, शालावृकवृकसमूहाश्च विकृताननाः, सर्वतः समन्तात् प्रादुरभवन्। तेषां घोरनादैः समरस्याशुभं निमित्तं बभूव, यथा भक्षका इव समन्तात् समुपसर्प्य वीरं त्रासयितुं समारब्धाः।

Word by Word

राक्षसाश्नाःthose who eat rākṣasas / rākṣasa-eaters

पिशाचाश्नाःthose who eat piśācas / piśāca-eaters

यातुधानाःyātudhānas (a class of demons)

तथाthus, likewise

एवindeed, just

चand

शालावृकाश्नाःthose who eat śālāvṛkas (jackals) / jackal-eaters

बहवःmany

वृकाश्नाःwolf-eaters / those who eat wolves

विकृताननाःhaving distorted/terrible faces

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

rākṣasas

piśācas

yātudhānas

jackals (śālāvṛkāḥ)

wolves (vṛkāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses ominous, predatory imagery to show how violence and moral disorder in war attract fear, impurity, and destructive forces; it underscores the Mahābhārata theme that adharma manifests not only in actions but also in the atmosphere and consequences surrounding them.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a terrifying scene in which demonic beings and scavenging predators (jackals and wolves) gather in great numbers, creating an omen-like sense that a warrior or the battlefield situation is turning toward danger and ruin.