Shloka 53

Devanagari script

सैन्यं द्रवति चायुष्मन्‌ कौरवेयं समन्तत: । पश्य योधान्‌ रणे भग्नान्‌ धावतो वै ततस्तत:

Transliteration

saṃjaya uvāca

sainyaṃ dravati cāyuṣman kauraveyaṃ samantataḥ | paśya yodhān raṇe bhagnān dhāvato vai tatastataḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“长寿者啊，俱卢军阵四面崩散，奔流而逃。看哪——战中溃败的武士正向各处奔窜。”

Word by Word

• सैन्यम्: the army
• सैन्यम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• द्रवति: runs away / flees
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (द्रव्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• आयुष्मन्: O long-lived one (sir)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुष्मत्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कौरवेयम्: the Kaurava (host)
• कौरवेयम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौरवेय
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• समन्ततः: on all sides / everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• पश्य: see / behold
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• योधान्: warriors
• योधान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भग्नान्: broken / routed / defeated
• भग्नान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भग्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धावतः: running (away)
• धावतः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धावत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• ततः: from there / thence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• ततः: from there / thence
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• धृतराष्ट्र (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) [implied by āyuṣman address]
• कौरव-सैन्य (Kaurava army)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and practical reality that adharma, poor counsel, and collapsing morale lead to the disintegration of even a large force. In epic terms, when leadership loses steadiness and righteousness, the collective ‘sainya’ loses cohesion and courage, resulting in rout.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava army is in disorder and fleeing on all sides. He urges the king to ‘see’ the warriors who have been broken in battle and are running away in different directions, indicating a turning point of panic and collapse on the Kaurava side.