Shloka 17

Devanagari script

एष हातिबल: शूर: कृतास्त्रो युद्धदुर्मद: । वैवस्वत इवासहा: शक्तो जेतुं रणे रिपून्‌ू,'ये अत्यन्त बलवान शूरवीर, अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता, रणदुर्मद और सूर्यपुत्र यमराजके समान शत्रुओंके लिये असह्ा हैं। इसलिये ये रणभूमिमें हमारे विपक्षियोंपर विजय पा सकते हैं!

Transliteration

eṣa hātibalaḥ śūraḥ kṛtāstro yuddha-durmadaḥ | vaivasvata ivāsahaḥ śakto jetuṃ raṇe ripūn ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: “Ang mandirigmang ito’y may lakas na gaya ng elepante, isang bayani na ganap na sanay sa paggamit ng mga sandata, at nag-aalab sa pagnanasa ng labanan. Tulad ni Vaivasvata (Yama), siya’y di-matiis ng mga kaaway; kaya niyang daigin ang mga kalaban sa larangan ng digmaan.”

Word by Word

एषःthis (man)

हातिबलःhaving the strength of an elephant

शूरःhero, brave warrior

कृतास्त्रःtrained/versed in weapons (lit. having made/learned weapons)

युद्धदुर्मदःfierce/proud in battle

वैवस्वतःVaivasvata (Yama, son of Vivasvat)

इवlike, as

असहाःirresistible, unbearable (to foes)

शक्तःable, capable

जेतुम्to conquer

रणेin battle

रिपून्enemies

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Vaivasvata (Yama)

enemies (ripavaḥ)

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 how extraordinary strength and mastery of arms can create an aura of inevitability in war—likened to Yama’s inescapability—yet this very glorification of battle-fury (yuddha-durmada) points to the ethical danger of pride and the need for dharma to govern power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a formidable warrior to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing his elephant-like strength, weapon-skill, and terrifying presence in combat, and asserting that he is capable of defeating enemies in the ongoing battle.