Shloka 18

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya

Devanagari script

सहामात्य: सोमकानां प्रवर्ह: संत्यक्तात्मा पाण्डवार्थे श्रुतो मे । अजातशगत्रुं प्रसहेत को 5न्यो येषां स स्यादग्रणीर्वृष्णिसिंह:,यह ठीक है कि हमारी सेना सब प्रकारसे परिपूर्ण है तथापि मेरा यह विश्वास है कि यह पाण्डवोंका सामना पड़नेपर नहींके बराबर है। पाण्डवोंके पक्षमें धृष्टद्युम्न नामसे प्रसिद्ध एक बलवान योद्धा है, जो सोमकवंशका श्रेष्ठ राजकुमार है। मैंने सुना है, उसने पाण्डवोंके लिये मन्त्रियोंसहित अपने शरीरको निछावर कर दिया है। जिन अजातशत्रु युधिष्ठिरके अगुआ अथवा नेता वृष्णिवंशके सिंह भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण हैं, उनका वेग दूसरा कौन सह सकता है? कच्चिद्‌ राजा धृतराष्ट्र: सपुत्रो बुभूषते वृत्तिममात्यवर्गे । कच्चिन्न भेदेन जिजीविषन्ति सुहृद्रपा दुर्हदेश्चैकमत्यात्‌ क्या पुत्रोंसहित राजा धृतराष्ट्र मन्त्रिवर्कको भी जीवन-निर्वाहके योग्य वृत्ति देनेकी इच्छा रखते हैं? कहीं ऐसा तो नहीं होता कि वे भेदसे जीविका चलाना चाहते हों (शत्रुओंने उन्हें फोड़ लिया हो और वे उन्हींके दिये हुए धनसे जीवन-निर्वाह करना चाहते हों)। वे सुहृदके रूपमें रहते हुए भी एकमत होकर शत्रु तो नहीं बन गये हैं?

Transliteration

sahāmātyaḥ somakānāṁ pravaraḥ saṁtyaktātmā pāṇḍavārthe śruto me | ajātaśatruṁ prasaheta ko 'nyo yeṣāṁ sa syād agraṇīr vṛṣṇisiṁhaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “I have heard that the foremost prince of the Somakas—together with his ministers—has wholly dedicated himself to the Pandavas’ cause, as though he had renounced his own life for them. And who else could withstand the might of Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira), when the leader at their head is the lion of the Vṛṣṇis, Śrī Kṛṣṇa? The verse underscores a moral reality: strength in war is not merely numbers, but the power of righteous alliance, steadfast commitment, and inspired leadership.”

Word by Word

सहtogether with

अमात्यःminister/counsellor

सोमकानाम्of the Somakas

प्रवर्हःthe foremost/excellent one

संत्यक्तात्माone who has renounced his life/self

पाण्डव-अर्थेfor the sake of the Pandavas

श्रुतःheard (of)

मेto me / by me

अजातशत्रुम्Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira), 'one whose enemy is not born'

प्रसहेतcould withstand/endure

कःwho?

अन्यःother

येषाम्of whom/whose

सःhe

स्यात्would be

अग्रणीःleader, guide

वृष्णि-सिंहःlion among the Vṛṣṇis (Kṛṣṇa)

कच्चित्I hope/Is it the case that...?

राजाking

धृतराष्ट्रःDhṛtarāṣṭra

स-पुत्रःtogether with (his) sons

बुभूषतेwishes to be / desires

वृत्तिम्livelihood, maintenance

अमात्य-वर्गेamong the group of ministers

कच्चित्I hope/Is it the case that...?

नnot

भेदेनby division/dissension

जिजीविषन्तिwish to live / seek to subsist

सुहृद्-रूपाःappearing as friends

दुर्हृदःill-wishers, enemies

चand

एकमत्यात्from unanimity/accord

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Somakas

Pandavas

Ajātaśatru (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Vṛṣṇisiṁha (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

Ministers (amātyas)

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 highlights that true power arises from dharmic alignment and unwavering commitment: a devoted ally who renounces self-interest, and a righteous leader guided by Kṛṣṇa, creates a force difficult for any opponent to withstand.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana reports that a leading Somaka prince (understood in the broader epic context as a key Pañcāla ally) has committed himself—along with his ministers—to the Pandavas’ cause, and he emphasizes that with Yudhiṣṭhira led by Kṛṣṇa, their momentum is nearly irresistible.