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Shloka 8

Droṇācāryaḥ Senāpatiḥ

Droṇa Appointed Commander-in-Chief

न विना नायकं सेना मुहूर्तमपि तिष्ठति । आहवेष्वाहवश्रेष्ठ नेतृहीनेव नौर्जले,समरांगणके श्रेष्ठ वीर! सेनापतिके बिना कोई सेना दो घड़ी भी संग्राममें टिक नहीं सकती है। ठीक उसी तरह, जैसे मल्लाहके बिना नाव जलमें स्थिर नहीं रह सकती है

na vinā nāyakaṃ senā muhūrtam api tiṣṭhati | āhaveṣv āhavaśreṣṭha netṛhīneva naur jale ||

సమరభూమిలో శ్రేష్ఠ వీరా! సేనాధిపతి లేకుండా సేన క్షణమాత్రం కూడా నిలువదు; నావికుడు లేని పడవ నీటిలో స్థిరంగా ఉండలేనట్లే.

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
विनाwithout
विना:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना
नायकम्leader
नायकम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनायक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सेनाarmy
सेना:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसेना
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
मुहूर्तम्a moment (muhūrta)
मुहूर्तम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमुहूर्त
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अपिeven
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
तिष्ठतिstands; remains
तिष्ठति:
TypeVerb
Rootस्था
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
आहवेषुin battles
आहवेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआहव
FormMasculine, Locative, Plural
आहवश्रेष्ठO best of fighters/battlers
आहवश्रेष्ठ:
TypeAdjective
Rootआहव-श्रेष्ठ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
नेतृहीनाdevoid of a leader
नेतृहीना:
TypeAdjective
Rootनेतृ-हीन
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
इवlike; as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
नौःboat
नौः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनौ
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
जलेin water
जले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootजल
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular

दुर्योधन उवाच

D
Duryodhana
A
army (senā)
L
leader/commander (nāyaka/netṛ)
B
boat (nauḥ)
W
water (jala)
B
battle (āhava)

Educational Q&A

Effective leadership is indispensable in crisis: without a guiding commander, collective strength becomes directionless and unstable, like a boat without a helmsman.

In the Drona Parva’s battle setting, Duryodhana stresses the urgent need for a capable commander to lead and stabilize the army, using a vivid nautical simile to underline the danger of leaderlessness.