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Shloka 14

Adhyāya 112: Bhīṣma-prati Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Forward Drive Toward Bhīṣma

तस्य शब्देन वित्रस्तास्तावका भरतर्षभ । सिंहस्येव मृगा राजन्‌ व्यद्रवन्त महाभयात्‌,राजन! भरतश्रेष्ठ! जैसे सिंहके शब्दसे अत्यन्त भयभीत होकर मृग भाग जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार अर्जुनके सिंहनादसे संत्रस्त हुए आपके सैनिक महान्‌ भयके कारण भागने लगे

tasya śabdena vitrastās tāvakā bharatarṣabha | siṁhasyeva mṛgā rājan vyadravanta mahābhayāt ||

三阇耶说道:“婆罗多族中的雄牛啊,听到那般(狮子般的)吼声,你方军队惊惧失色。正如鹿闻狮吼而奔逃,他们也在巨大的恐惧中四散而走。”

तस्यof him/its
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
शब्देनby (the) sound/roar
शब्देन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशब्द
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
वित्रस्ताःterrified
वित्रस्ताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-त्रस् (धातु) → वित्रस्त (क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
तावकाःyour men/your troops
तावकाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootतावक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas
भरतर्षभ:
TypeNoun
Rootभरत + ऋषभ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
सिंहस्यof a lion
सिंहस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसिंह
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
मृगाःdeer/animals
मृगाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमृग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
व्यद्रवन्तran away/fled
व्यद्रवन्त:
TypeVerb
Rootवि-√द्रु
FormImperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
महाभयात्from great fear
महाभयात्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + भय
FormNeuter, Ablative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by Sañjaya’s address 'rājan' in the narrative frame)
K
Kaurava troops (tāvakāḥ)
A
Arjuna (implied as the source of the lion-roar in context)
L
Lion (siṁha)
D
Deer (mṛga)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how inner states—especially fear—can collapse an army’s resolve. In dharmic-ethical terms, it underscores the kṣatriya ideal of steadiness under threat and shows how moral and psychological strength can be as decisive as weapons.

Sañjaya reports to the king that the Kaurava soldiers, hearing the formidable roar (contextually Arjuna’s lion-like shout), became terrified and fled—likened to deer scattering at a lion’s sound.