Shloka 53

Devanagari script

धावतामाद्दयानानां तनुत्राणि च बध्नताम्‌ | प्रयास्यतां पाण्डवानां ससैन्यानां समन्तत:

Transliteration

dhāvatām āddayānānāṃ tanutrāṇi ca badhnatām | prayāsyatāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ sa-sainyānāṃ samantataḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang ang mga Pāṇḍava, kasama ang kanilang mga hukbo, ay naghahanda nang lumisan sa lahat ng panig, sumiklab ang pagmamadali—may mga taong nagtatakbuhan, sumasakay sa kanilang mga sasakyang pandigma, at nagtatali ng baluti. Ipinapahiwatig ng tagpong ito ang bigat-moral ng nalalapit na tunggalian: mabilis at praktikal ang paghahanda, ngunit hudyat ito ng di na maibabalik na paglapit ng digmaan at ng mga bunga nito.

Word by Word

धावताम्of those who are running

आद्दयानानाम्of those who are mounting/setting out in vehicles (chariots etc.)

तनुत्राणिarmours, body-protections

चand

बध्नताम्of those who are fastening (tying on)

प्रयास्यताम्(they) will set out / will march forth

पाण्डवानाम्of the Pāṇḍavas

ससैन्यानाम्together with (their) armies

समन्ततःon all sides, all around

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāṇḍavas

sainyāni (armies)

tanutrāṇi (armor)

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 the momentum that precedes war: once collective action turns to mobilization—arming, mounting, and marching—the moral and practical consequences become difficult to reverse. It implicitly urges reflection on responsibility and restraint before conflict reaches this point.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the Pāṇḍavas and their forces prepare to depart, people rush in every direction—some running, some mounting their conveyances, and others fastening armor—depicting a charged atmosphere of imminent military movement.