Shloka 26

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

विशीर्णविप्रधावन्तो दृश्यन्ते सम दिशो दश | नवमेघप्रतीकाशा जलदोपमनि:स्वना:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

viśīrṇavipradhāvanto dṛśyante samadiśo daśa |

navameghapratīkāśā jaladopamaniḥsvanāḥ ||

Translation

桑阇耶说：“他们溃散失序，四散奔逃，向十方疾驰而去——其形如新聚的暴云，其声如雷云轰鸣。”

Word by Word

• विशीर्ण: scattered, broken, dispersed
• विशीर्ण: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशीर्ण (वि-√शॄ/शॄण्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विप्रधावन्तः: running about, rushing forth
• विप्रधावन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-प्र-√धाव् (शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen, appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (लट्, आत्मनेपद)
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Atmanepada, Passive/Reflexive (middle usage)

• सम्: all around, completely
• सम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• दश: ten
• दश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• नव: new, fresh
• नव: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मेघ: clouds
• मेघ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेघ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रतीकाशाः: resembling, like
• प्रतीकाशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतीकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• जलद: clouds (rain-givers)
• जलद: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उपम: comparable to, like
• उपम: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• निःस्वनाः: having sound; roaring/noisy
• निःस्वनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःस्वन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ten directions (daśa diśaḥ)
• clouds/thunderclouds (megha, jalada)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how quickly courage and discipline can dissolve in war: when cohesion breaks, fear scatters people in every direction, and the battlefield becomes dominated by noise and confusion rather than purposeful action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that combatants are seen dispersed and fleeing in all directions, their mass and tumult likened to newly risen storm-clouds and the thunderous roar of rain-bearing clouds.