Shloka 21

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise

Devanagari script

प्रतीपमिव मे भाति युयुधानेन भारती । व्यस्ता सीमन्तिनी ग्रस्ता प्रमृष्टा दीर्घबाहुना,मुझे तो ऐसा प्रतीत हो रहा है कि पुरुषसे तिरस्कृत हुई नारीकी भाँति इस भरतवंशियोंकी सेनाको विशाल बाँहोंवाले वीर सात्यकिने अपने अधिकारमें करके रौंद डाला है और वह अब विपरीत दिशाकी ओर अस्त-व्यस्त दशामें भागी जा रही है

Transliteration

pratīpam iva me bhāti yuyudhānena bhāratī | vyastā sīmanta-nī grastā pramṛṣṭā dīrgha-bāhunā ||

Translation

యు యుధానుడు (సాత్యకి) ఈ భరతసేనను నాకు విరుద్ధ దిశగా తిప్పినట్లు కనిపిస్తోంది—పురుషునిచే అవమానింపబడిన స్త్రీ వలె, ఆమె జుట్టు విడిపోవు రేఖ చెదిరి, దీర్ఘబాహువు చేత పట్టుబడి రుద్దబడినట్లుగా; అలాగే ఈ సేన గందరగోళమై విరుద్ధ దిశగా పారిపోతున్నట్లు తోస్తోంది.

Word by Word

प्रतीपम्hostile, adverse (as an object of comparison)

इवlike, as if

मेto me

भातिappears, seems

युयुधानेनby Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)

भारतीthe Bhārata (army/host of the Bhāratas)

व्यस्ताscattered, disordered

सीमन्तिनीa woman (with a hair-parting; i.e., a married woman)

ग्रस्ताseized, overpowered

प्रमृष्टाrubbed down, crushed, trampled

दीर्घबाहुनाby the long-armed one

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Duryodhana

Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)

Bharata/Kuru army (bhāratī)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how quickly an army’s morale and order can collapse under a decisive warrior’s pressure, and how leaders may frame defeat through charged imagery of dishonor—revealing the ethical weight placed on reputation and composure in kṣatriya warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana observes the Kuru/Bharata forces being thrown into confusion by Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki). He describes their disarray and retreat with a harsh simile of a woman humiliated and dishevelled, emphasizing the perceived indignity of being routed.