Shloka 18

Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ

After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana

Devanagari script

तस्मिज्जिते महेष्वासे धर्मपुत्रेण संयुगे । दुर्योधनबलं राजन्‌ सर्वमासीत्‌ पराड्मुखम्‌

Transliteration

tasmiñ jite maheṣvāse dharmaputreṇa saṁyuge | duryodhana-balaṁ rājan sarvam āsīt parāṅmukham ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：大王啊，当那位大弓手在交战中被法子（阎提湿提罗）击败时，难敌军的全军便转身溃逃。

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (battle/occasion)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जिते: when (he) was defeated / upon being conquered
• जिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• महेष्वासे: in/when the great archer (was defeated)
• महेष्वासे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• धर्मपुत्रेण: by Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दुर्योधनबलम्: Duryodhana's army/force
• दुर्योधनबलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधनबल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पराङ्मुखम्: turned away; fleeing with backs shown
• पराङ्मुखम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Duryodhana
• Śrutāyu (implied by the given context as the defeated great archer)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical dimension of leadership in war: when a key champion falls, collective courage can collapse. It also implies that steadfast action aligned with dharma (here, Dharmaputra’s resolve) can decisively influence outcomes beyond mere numbers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a renowned archer has been defeated by Yudhiṣṭhira in the thick of battle, and as a result Duryodhana’s forces lose heart, turn their backs, and begin to flee.