Shloka 16

Devanagari script

सर्वे ह्यासन्‌ निरुत्साहा: क्षत्रिया दीनचेतस:

Transliteration

sarve hyāsan nirutsāhāḥ kṣatriyā dīnacetasaḥ

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—सर्वे ह्यासन् निरुत्साहाः क्षत्रिया दीनचेतसः।

Word by Word

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• आसन्: were
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural

• निरुत्साहाः: without enthusiasm/dispirited
• निरुत्साहाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरुत्साह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas/warriors
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दीनचेतसः: dejected-minded
• दीनचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीनचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in dharmic conflict, inner strength and clarity are as decisive as weapons: when courage and purpose fail, even kṣatriyas—duty-bound to steadiness in battle—become ineffective, showing the ethical cost of despair and confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the warriors are collectively demoralized and downcast, indicating a critical shift in the battlefield atmosphere where fear and sorrow spread through the ranks.