Shloka 9

Devanagari script

विस््रस्तयन्त्रकवचा: कांदिग्भूता विचेतस: । अन्योन्यमवमृदनन्तो वीक्षमाणा भयार्दिता:

Transliteration

visrastayantrakavacāḥ kāndigbhūtā vicetasaḥ | anyonyamavamṛdnanto vīkṣamāṇā bhayārditāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Khí cụ chiến trận và áo giáp của họ rơi rụng. Họ bàng hoàng, mất trí, đến nỗi không thể quyết định phải chạy về hướng nào. Trong cơn hoảng loạn, họ giẫm đạp lên nhau, đảo mắt nhìn khắp bốn phía, bị nỗi sợ phủ trùm.

Word by Word

• विस्रस्त-यन्त्र-कवचाः: whose machines/weapons and armours had fallen off
• विस्रस्त-यन्त्र-कवचाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्रस्त (वि+स्रस्, कृदन्त) + यन्त्र + कवच
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कांदिग्भूताः: bewildered about the directions (not knowing which way)
• कांदिग्भूताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क + आन् (कान्दि/कान्ति-प्रयोगः) + दिक् + भूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विचेतसः: senseless, unconscious
• विचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचेतस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अन्योन्यम्: one another (mutually)
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• अवमृदनन्तः: trampling/crushing (others)
• अवमृदनन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + मृद् (धातु) → अवमृद् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present active participle (शतृ)

• वीक्षमाणाः: looking around
• वीक्षमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ईक्ष् (धातु) → वीक्ष् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural, Present middle participle (शानच्)

• भय-आर्दिताः: afflicted by fear
• भय-आर्दिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय + आर्दित (आर्द्/अर्द्, कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• yantra (war equipment)
• kavaca (armor)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fear and confusion in war strip people of judgment and restraint; when inner composure collapses, even basic orientation and humane conduct fail, leading to mutual harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes warriors in extreme panic: their equipment and armor have fallen off, they are disoriented about where to run, and in their frantic flight they trample one another while scanning all directions in fear.