Shloka 1

Devanagari script

अत्-#-#क+ चतु:षष्टितमो<5 ध्याय: दुर्योधनका संजयके सम्मुख विलाप और वाहकोंद्वारा अपने साथियोको संदेश भेजना धृतराष्ट्र रवाच अधिष्ित: पदा मूर्थ्नि भग्नसक्थो महीं गत: । शौटीर्यमानी पुत्रो मे किमभाषत संजय

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |

adhiṣṭhitaḥ padā mūrdhni bhagnasaktho mahīṃ gataḥ |

śauṭīryamānī putro me kim abhāṣata sañjaya ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra nói: “Sañjaya, khi con trai ta—đùi bị đập gãy—ngã xuống đất, và kẻ thù đặt chân lên đầu nó, nó đã nói gì? Nó vốn rất kiêu hãnh về sức mạnh của mình. Trên chiến địa ấy, khi rơi vào tai ương khốc liệt, Duryodhana đã thốt ra những lời nào?”

Word by Word

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

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अधिष्ठितः: stood upon / pressed upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-स्था
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (क्त)

• पदा: with (his) foot
• पदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भग्नसक्थः: whose thighs were broken
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्नसक्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महीम्: the earth/ground
• महीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गतः: gone / fallen (to)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past active participle (क्त)

• शौटीर्यमानी: proud of (his) prowess
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शौटीर्य-मानिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: my
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

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

• अभाषत: spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• संजय: O Sanjaya
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• Bhīmasena
• mahī (earth/ground)
• mūrdhan (head)
• pāda (foot)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames a moral contrast between pride in strength and the vulnerability of human fortune: even the mighty, when driven by hostility and arrogance, can meet a humiliating reversal. It invites reflection on how adharma-fueled rivalry culminates in suffering and loss of dignity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about Duryodhana’s words after Duryodhana has been struck down with broken thighs and lies on the ground, while his opponent places a foot upon his head—an image of defeat and disgrace at the war’s end.