Shloka 55

Adhyāya 86: Irāvān’s Lineage, Cavalry Clash, and the Māyā-Duel Ending in Irāvān’s Fall

Devanagari script

दृष्टवा मद्रेश्वररथं धार्तराष्ट्रा: पराड्मुखम्‌ । सर्वे विमनसो भूत्वा नेदमस्तीत्यचिन्तयन्‌

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā madreśvara-rathaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ parāṅmukham | sarve vimanaso bhūtvā nedam astīty acintayan ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Nang makita ang karwahe ng panginoon ng Madra na tumalikod sa labanan, ang mga anak ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra ay nanglumo. Sa kanilang puso’y naisip nila, “Hindi ito maaari,” na wari’y hindi na tiyak ang buhay ng hari ng Madra.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• मद्रेश्वर-रथम्: the chariot of the king of Madra
• मद्रेश्वर-रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्रेश्वररथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धार्तराष्ट्राः: the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra / the Dhārtarāṣṭras
• धार्तराष्ट्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पराङ्मुखम्: turned away; facing away
• पराङ्मुखम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विमनसः: dejected; downcast
• विमनसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमनस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• अस्ति: is; exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present (लट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• इति: thus; thinking/quoting marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• अचिन्तयन्: they thought; they reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas)
• Madreśvara (King of Madra)
• Madra (kingdom)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how external signs in war—especially the apparent withdrawal of a powerful ally—can collapse confidence and reveal the fragility of pride. It implicitly warns that reliance on force alone is unstable when fortune and dharma appear to shift.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kauravas, seeing the Madra king’s chariot turned away (as if retreating or disabled), become disheartened and think something has gone terribly wrong—fearing that the Madra ruler may be lost or near death.