Shloka 43

Udyoga Parva 142: Vidura’s warning to Kuntī and Kuntī’s resolve to meet Karṇa

Gaṅgātīra encounter begins

Devanagari script

उष्ट्प्रयुक्तमारूढौ भीष्मद्रोणी महारथौ | मया सार्ध महाबाहो धार्तराष्ट्रेण वा विभो

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

uṣṭa-prayukta-mārūḍhau bhīṣma-droṇī mahā-rathau |

mayā sārdhaṃ mahā-bāho dhārtarāṣṭreṇa vā vibho ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు— మహాబాహు జనార్దన! స్వప్నంలో నేను చూచినది: మహారథులు భీష్ముడు, ద్రోణుడు—ఒంటెలు కట్టిన రథంపై ఎక్కి—నాతో కలిసి లేదా ధృతరాష్ట్రపుత్రునితో కలిసి దక్షిణ దిశగా వెళ్తున్నారు.

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'uṣṭa': 'camel', 'prayukta': 'yoked, harnessed', 'ārūḍhau': 'having mounted

• seated upon (dual)', 'bhīṣma-droṇī': 'Bhīṣma and Droṇa (dual compound)', 'mahā-rathau': 'great chariot-warriors (dual)', 'mayā sārdham': 'together with me', 'mahā-bāho': 'O mighty-armed one (address)', 'dhārtarāṣṭreṇa': 'with the son/descendant of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (i.e., Duryodhana) / with Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s party', 'vā': 'or', 'vibho': 'O Lord, O mighty one (address)', 'dakṣiṇa-diś': 'southern direction (implied by context)', 'yama-loka': 'the world/realm of Yama, the abode of death (implied by context)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (via dhārtarāṣṭra)
• Duryodhana (implied by dhārtarāṣṭra)
• Yama (implied by yama-loka)
• camel-yoked chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata theme that adharma-driven conflict invites ominous signs and inevitable destruction; even the greatest warriors are subject to fate, and wise counsel should heed warnings before catastrophe becomes unavoidable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a dream-omen: Bhīṣma and Droṇa, instead of a noble chariot, ride a camel-yoked chariot and move south—symbolically toward Yama’s direction—indicating imminent death for the Kaurava side (including Duryodhana) in the coming war.