Chapter1 Verse - 18

 

Verse - 18

द्रुपदो द्रौपदेयाश्च सर्वश: पृथिवीपते |
सौभद्रश्च महाबाहु: शङ्खान्दध्मु: पृथक् पृथक् || 18||

Transliteration :

Drupado draupadeyAshca sarvashaH prithivIpate .

Saubhadrashca mahAbAhuH shankhAndadhmuH prithak  

                                                                             prithak..18..

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Word-by-word meaning:

द्रुपदो -  Drupada; द्रौपदेयाश्च -  and sons of Draupadi; सर्वश: - all; पृथिवीपते- O! Lord of the Earth; सौभद्रश्च -  and the son of Subadhra; महाबाहु: - mighty armed; शङ्खान् – the conch-shells; दध्मुः: - blew; पृथक् पृथक् – individiually;

Meaning:

(Then) O, the ruler of Earth ! King Drupada, Sons of Draupadi who are mighty armed, son of Subadhra ( Abhimanyu ) blew their respective conch-shells.

Significance :

Sanjaya here addresses Dhritharashtra as  “पृथिवीपते- the ruler of Earth”, to remind him his responsibility to protect his subjects. The after effect of this war will definitely be so very destructive. Dhritharashtra, being the king of Hastinapura, should have stopped this war. But his jealousy and most importantly his blind love for his son prohibited him from doing so. Which now has resulted in witnessing this terrible war and eventually the destruction of his whole race. The war field now looks as if the Earth has been split into two, with so many Kings and Princes on each side of the army. Nearly five generation of Kings are there in the battle , Bhishma , Drona , Drupada, Arjuna, and the youngest Abhimanyu. It is totally unfortunate for Dhritharashtra to witness this destruction.