Shloka 22

Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

विमुखं च ततो रक्षो वध्यमानं रणेडरिणा

Transliteration

vimukhaṁ ca tato rakṣo vadhyamānaṁ raṇe 'riṇā

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi trên chiến trường, rākṣasa ấy—quay lưng tháo chạy—đang bị kẻ thù chém hạ. Câu này nhấn mạnh sức nặng đạo lý của chiến tranh: một khi rời bỏ sự kiên định trong giao chiến, nỗi sợ và hỗn loạn sẽ kéo đến, và sức mạnh của đối phương trở thành yếu tố quyết định.

Word by Word

• विमुखम्: turned away; facing away
• विमुखम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुख
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ततः: then; from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• रक्षः: the rākṣasa (demon)
• रक्षः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वध्यमानम्: being slain; being killed
• वध्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्यमान (√वध्)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अरिणा: by the enemy
• अरिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• रक्षः / राक्षस (rākṣasa)
• अरि (enemy/foe)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: loss of resolve and turning away (retreat in fear) exposes one to defeat. In the Mahābhārata’s moral frame, steadfastness and disciplined courage are repeatedly linked with kṣatriya-dharma, while panic and disorder invite ruin.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a rākṣasa fighter has turned away on the battlefield and is being struck down by an opposing warrior (the 'enemy'). The focus is on the moment of reversal—retreat leading immediately to vulnerability and destruction.