Shloka 41

Śalya-parva Adhyāya 26 — Duryodhana’s remnant formation and rapid engagements

Devanagari script

विद्राव्य च कुरून्‌ सर्वास्तांश्व हत्वा पदानुगान्‌ | दोर्भ्या शब्दं ततश्नक्रे त्रासयानो महाद्विपान्‌

Transliteration

vidrāvya ca kurūn sarvān tāṁś ca hatvā padānugān | dorbhyāḥ śabdaṁ tataś cakre trāsayāno mahādvipān ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“他驱散诸库鲁众军，又斩杀其后追随之卒；随后毗摩塞那以双臂发出轰然巨响，令巨大战象亦为之惊惧。”

Word by Word

• विद्राव्य: having routed / causing to flee
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+द्रु (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

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

• कुरून्: the Kurus
• कुरून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सर्वान्: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• पदानुगान्: followers (those who go after their steps)
• पदानुगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदानुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दोर्भ्याम्: with (his) two arms
• दोर्भ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोर्/दोस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Dual

• शब्दम्: a sound
• शब्दम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चक्रे: made / produced
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्रासयन्: frightening
• त्रासयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रासय् (त्रस्-णिच्) (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महाद्विपान्: great elephants
• महाद्विपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्विप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kurus (Kaurava army)
• Bhīmasena (implied by context)
• mahādvipa (war-elephants)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, force operates on both body and mind: after physical victory (routing and slaying), the hero amplifies psychological dominance by instilling fear, collapsing the enemy’s resolve. It also reflects the harsh kṣatriya battlefield ethic where intimidation and decisive violence are treated as instruments of victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma’s advance: he scatters the Kaurava ranks, kills the pursuing followers, and then makes a thunderous arm-clap/booming sound, frightening even the massive war-elephants and further destabilizing the opposing force.