Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तत्‌ प्रभग्नं बल॑ दृष्टवा कौन्तेयेनामितीजसा

Transliteration

tat prabhagnaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā kaunteyenāmitījasā

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Nang makita niyang ang hukbong iyon ay nabasag—nagkawatak-watak, nagulo at nagkandarapa sa pag-atras—dahil sa anak ni Kuntī na may lakas na di-mapipigil,

Word by Word

• तत्: that (army/force)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभग्नम्: broken, routed
• प्रभग्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभग्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• कौन्तेयेन: by the son of Kuntī (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेयेन: Karana
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अमित-ईजसा: of immeasurable might/energy
• अमित-ईजसा: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमितईजस्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• कौन्तेय (Kaunteya—Arjuna)
• बल (the army/force)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the decisive consequences of prowess and resolve in righteous warfare: when a leader of overwhelming energy acts effectively, even a large force can collapse. Ethically, it underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring theme that strength must be aligned with duty (kṣatriya-dharma) and disciplined action, not mere numbers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing army has been broken and routed after being struck by Kaunteya (Arjuna), described as possessing irresistible energy. The line functions as a battlefield update marking a moment of disarray and reversal for the force facing Arjuna.