Mahabharata 7.161.67 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 67

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

द्रवतस्तान्‌ समालोक्य राजा दुर्योधनो नूप

Transliteration

dravatastān samālokya rājā duryodhano nūpa

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Thấy các chiến binh ấy tháo chạy trong hỗn loạn, vua Duryodhana—hỡi bậc quân vương—liền chú mục và phản ứng theo tình thế.

Word by Word

• द्रवतस्: running, fleeing
• द्रवतस्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रवत् (√द्रु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समालोक्य: having seen, observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√लोक्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

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

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

• नूप: Nūpa (proper name) / an anklet (context-dependent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by the vocative nūpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical burden of kingship in war: a ruler must confront the reality of fear and retreat among his men and respond with discernment. It implicitly raises questions about whether persistence in violence is justified when the human cost and moral cohesion of the army begin to collapse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana notices warriors running away. This observation sets up Duryodhana’s next response—typically a command, rebuke, or rallying effort—showing a moment of battlefield instability and the king’s attempt to regain control.