Shloka 18

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — इरावान्-आवन्त्ययोः युद्धम्, घटोत्कच-भगदत्त-संघर्षः, मद्रेश्वर-विक्षेपः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Irāvān vs the Avanti princes; Ghaṭotkaca vs Bhagadatta; Śalya checked by the Mādrī twins

Devanagari script

कृपदु:शासनाभ्यां च जयद्रथमुखैस्तथा । भगदत्तविकर्णाभ्यां द्रौणिसौबलबाह्विकैः

Transliteration

kṛpaduryodhanābhyāṃ ca jayadrathamukhais tathā | bhagadattavikarṇābhyāṃ drauṇisaubalabāhlikaiḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“我的军队不断由强大的斗士护持——由克利波与难敌（Duryodhana），又由阇耶陀罗他等人；由婆伽达多与毗迦尔那；并由阿湿婆他摩、沙昆尼与婆诃利迦守卫。然而，若连这般严密护卫的军阵仍在战斗中被成片斩落，其因必是我等久远而已成熟的宿命。”

Word by Word

• कृप: by Kripa
• कृप: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• दुःशासनाभ्याम्: by (two) Duhshasana(s)
• दुःशासनाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• जयद्रथ: by Jayadratha
• जयद्रथ: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयद्रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मुखैः: by the foremost ones / leaders
• मुखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• भगदत्त: by Bhagadatta
• भगदत्त: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगदत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विकर्णाभ्याम्: by (two) Vikarna(s)
• विकर्णाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• द्रौणि: by Drona's son (Ashvatthama)
• द्रौणि: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सौबल: by the son of Subala (Shakuni)
• सौबल: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बाह्विकैः: by the Bahlikas / by Bahlika and his men
• बाह्विकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Duryodhana
• Jayadratha
• Bhagadatta
• Vikarṇa
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Śakuni (Saubala)
• Bāhlika

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when one has strong external supports—powerful allies, strategy, and protection—outcomes in the Mahābhārata are repeatedly framed as shaped by prior karma and ripened destiny; this reflection also hints at the moral weight of earlier choices that culminate in unavoidable consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava host is guarded by renowned champions (Kṛpa, Duryodhana, Jayadratha, Bhagadatta, Vikarṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Śakuni, Bāhlika). Yet despite such protection, the army is being destroyed in battle, which he attributes to long-standing fate.