Shloka 1

Rajo-dhūli-saṃmūḍha-saṅgrāmaḥ

The Dust-Obscured Battle and Mutual Charges

Devanagari script

ऑपन--माज छा जि: एकोनपज्चाशत्तमो<ड्ध्याय: शंखका युद्ध

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | śvaite senāpatau tāta saṅgrāme nihate paraiḥ | kim akurvan maheṣvāsāḥ pañcālāḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha ||

Translation

دھرتراشٹر نے کہا—بیٹے! جب سپہ سالار شویت دشمنوں کے ہاتھوں میدانِ جنگ میں مارا گیا، تو عظیم کمان دار پانچال پانڈوؤں کے ساتھ اُس وقت کیا کرنے لگے؟

Word by Word

• धृतराष्ट्रः: Dhritarashtra
• धृतराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृतराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• श्वेते: when/with Śveta (being the topic/occasion)
• श्वेते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सेनापतौ: in/when the commander
• सेनापतौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनापति
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तात: dear son
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• निहते: when slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• परैः: by the enemies/others
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अकुर्वन्: did
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Plural

• महेष्वासाः: great bowmen
• महेष्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवैः: with the Pandavas
• पाण्डवैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Śveta (senāpati)
• Pāñcālas
• Pāṇḍavas
• battlefield (saṅgrāma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of leadership in war: the fall of a commander tests an army’s steadiness, discipline, and adherence to kṣatriya-dharma—responding with resolve rather than panic or vengeance-driven disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing that Śveta, the Pāṇḍava-side commander, has been killed by the opposing forces, Dhṛtarāṣṭra anxiously asks Sañjaya what the Pāñcālas and Pāṇḍavas did next on the battlefield.