Mahabharata 9.18.176 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 18, Shloka 176

शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्

Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally

Devanagari script

न चास्य शासन केचित्तत्र चक्रुर्महारथा: । दुर्योधनने उन वीरोंको सान्त्वना देते हुए बहुत मना किया, किंतु वहाँ किन्हीं महारथियोंने उसकी इस आज्ञाका पालन नहीं किया

Transliteration

na cāsya śāsanaṃ kecit tatra cakrur mahārathāḥ |

Translation

三阇耶说道：然而，在场的诸位大车战士无一人奉行他的命令。尽管难敌竭力劝阻并抚慰那些英雄，他们仍不肯顺从——这表明在战火炽烈之时，个人的决意与武人的傲气，竟能凌驾于君王的号令之上。

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

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

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• शासनम्: command, order
• शासनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: कश्चित्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• चक्रुः: did, carried out
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, plural

• महारथाः: great warriors (maharathas)
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Duryodhana
• mahārathas (great warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even legitimate authority can fail in moments of crisis: when warriors are driven by honor, grief, or rage, they may disregard commands, showing the ethical tension between obedience to leadership and personal martial resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana attempted to restrain and reassure certain heroes, but the great warriors present did not follow his instruction, indicating a breakdown of command amid the escalating conflict.