Shloka 2

Karma-Yoga, Yajña-Cakra, and the Governance of Desire (कर्मयोग–यज्ञचक्र–कामनिग्रह)

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट्र बोले--हे संजय! धर्मभूमि कुरुक्षेत्रमें एकत्र हुए युद्धकी इच्छावाले मेरे और पाण्डुके पुत्रोंने क्या किया? ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavānīkaṃ vyūḍhaṃ duryodhanas tadā | ācāryam upasaṅgamya rājā vacanam abravīt ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—تب بادشاہ دُریودھن نے پانڈوؤں کی فوج کو جنگی صف بندی میں سجا ہوا دیکھ کر، اپنے آچارَیہ (درون) کے پاس جا کر یہ بات کہی۔

Word by Word

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पाण्डव: of the Pandavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अनीकम्: army/host
• अनीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यूढम्: arrayed/formed in battle-order
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यूढ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• दुर्योधनः: Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• आचार्यम्: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपसंगम्य: having approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-सम्-गम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Active sense

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अत्र: here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• अवीत्: spoke/said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāṇḍava army (pāṇḍavānīka)
• Vyūha (battle formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, at decisive moments, leaders seek legitimacy and reassurance from respected authorities. Ethically, it foreshadows the tension between rightful duty (dharma) and anxious ambition, as power turns to teachers for support in a morally fraught war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Duryodhana sees the Pandavas’ forces arranged in a strategic formation and then goes to his teacher Droṇa to speak—introducing Duryodhana’s ensuing remarks about the opposing army and the coming battle.