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Shloka 31

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Anxiety and Bhīṣma’s Theological Explanation of Pāṇḍava Invincibility

Book 6, Chapter 61

ततो भीष्मश्र द्रोणश्षु सैन्धवश्ष जयद्रथ: । पुरुमित्रो जयो भोज: शल्यश्वापि ससौबल:

tato bhīṣmaś ca droṇaś ca saindhavaś ca jayadrathaḥ | purumitraḥ jayo bhojaḥ śalyaś cāpi sasaubalaḥ ||

Sañjaya nói: Rồi Bhīṣma và Droṇa, cùng Jayadratha—vua xứ Sindhu—lại thêm Purumitra, Jaya, Bhoja, Śalya và Śakuni thuộc dòng Saubala—những dũng tướng oai lực như sư tử, khó ai khuất phục nơi trận mạc—hết lần này đến lần khác phá vỡ và làm tan tác quân đội Pāṇḍava.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
Formअव्यय
भीष्मःBhishma
भीष्मः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीष्म
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
द्रोणःDrona
द्रोणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रोण
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
सैन्धवःthe Sindhu-king (Saindhava)
सैन्धवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसैन्धव
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
जयद्रथःJayadratha
जयद्रथः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजयद्रथ
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
पुरुमित्रःPurumitra
पुरुमित्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुमित्र
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
जयःJaya (a warrior named Jaya)
जयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootजय
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
भोजःBhoja (a warrior named Bhoja)
भोजः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभोज
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
शल्यःShalya
शल्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशल्य
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
अपिalso
अपि:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि
Formअव्यय
ससौबलःSaubala (Shakuni), with his kin/retinue
ससौबलः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसौबल
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (स- उपसर्गसदृशः ‘सह’ अर्थे)

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
Bhīṣma
D
Droṇa
J
Jayadratha (Saindhava, Sindhu-king)
P
Purumitra
J
Jaya
B
Bhoja
Ś
Śalya
Ś
Śakuni (Saubala)
P
Pāṇḍavas
P
Pāṇḍava army

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the relentless momentum of war: repeated tactical success can fracture even a strong army. Ethically, it points to the grim reality that prowess and coordination, when applied without restraint, magnify suffering and pressure the combatants’ commitment to dharma amid violence.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that leading Kaurava champions—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Jayadratha, and others including Śalya and Śakuni—are repeatedly breaking the formations of the Pāṇḍava forces, indicating Kaurava battlefield dominance at this moment.