Shloka 20

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally

Devanagari script

सहितैश्नापि योद्धव्यमित्येष समय: कृत:

Transliteration

sahitaiś cāpi yoddhavyam ity eṣa samayaḥ kṛtaḥ

Translation

சஞ்சயன் கூறினான்—“ஒன்றாகச் சேர்ந்தே, நெருக்கமான அணிவகுப்பிலும் கூட போரிட வேண்டும் என்று இதுவே உறுதியாக ஒப்புக்கொள்ளப்பட்டது.”

Word by Word

• सहितैः: with (allies/companions)
• सहितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: even/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• योद्धव्यम्: must be fought / one should fight
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive), Passive sense (obligation), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• इति: thus (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एषः: this
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समयः: agreement/compact
• समयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृतः: made/established
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the binding force of a samaya (agreed rule/compact) in warfare: once a convention is established, warriors are expected to uphold it, reflecting the ethical weight of pledged conduct (dharma) even amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a specific rule of engagement has been set: the combatants are to fight while remaining together/in close formation, indicating an organized, collective mode of battle rather than scattered individual duels.