Shloka 13

Dvaipāyana-hrade Duryodhanasya Māyā — Yudhiṣṭhirasya Dharmoktiḥ (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 30)

Devanagari script

प्रतिविद्धाश्व भूयिष्ठं ये शिष्टास्तत्र सैनिका: । न ते वेगं विषहितुं शक्तास्तव विशाम्पते

Transliteration

pratividdhāśva bhūyiṣṭhaṃ ye śiṣṭās tatra sainikāḥ | na te vegaṃ viṣahituṃ śaktās tava viśāmpate ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—అక్కడ ఎక్కువ సంఖ్యలో మిగిలిన గౌరవనీయ సైనికుల గుర్రాలు బాణాలతో ఛేదించబడ్డాయి. ఓ ప్రజాధిపతీ! నీ ఉగ్రవేగాన్ని వారు తట్టుకోలేకపోయారు; నీ దాడి బలాన్ని వారు నిలువరించలేకపోయారు.

Word by Word

प्रतिविद्धाश्वhaving their horses pierced/wounded

भूयिष्ठम्mostly, for the most part

येwho

शिष्टाःremaining, left (over)

तत्रthere

सैनिकाःsoldiers

नnot

तेthey

वेगम्speed, force, rush

विषहितुम्to endure, to withstand

शक्ताःable, capable

तवof you, your

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

viśāmpati (king addressed, i.e., Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

soldiers (sainikāḥ)

horses (aśvāḥ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the harsh reality of war: even disciplined and reputable warriors can be overwhelmed when force and momentum break their formation. It implicitly highlights the ethical weight of leadership in battle—power and speed bring decisive results, but at the cost of suffering to men and animals alike.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that many of the remaining soldiers—described as śiṣṭa, men of standing—had their horses struck, and they were unable to bear the attacking warrior’s momentum. The line functions as a battlefield update emphasizing the irresistible force of the assault.