Shloka 96

Devanagari script

अभ्यद्रवन्त वेगेन कुम्भयोनिवधेप्सया । पाण्डुनन्दन महात्मा युधिष्ठिरके इस प्रकार आदेश देनेपर वे सब वीर द्रोणाचार्यके वधकी इच्छासे वेगपूर्वक उनपर टूट पड़े

Transliteration

abhyadravanta vegena kumbhayoni-vadhepsayā | pāṇḍu-nandanā mahātmā yudhiṣṭhira-ke (ājñā-dāne) is prakāra ādeśa dene-par ve sab vīr droṇācārya-ke vadha-kī icchā-se vega-pūrvaka un-par ṭūṭa paṛe |

Translation

قال سَنجايا: لما صدر أمرُ يُدْهِشْتِهيرا اندفع أبناءُ باندو—ذوو النفوس العظيمة من الأبطال—اندفاعًا سريعًا، تحرّكهم عزيمةٌ واحدة على قتل دروناآتشاريّا (كومبهايوْني). ففي لهيب الحرب تمتزج طاعةُ الأمر بالغايةِ الاستراتيجية حتى تصير قصدًا أحاديًّا صلبًا، فتشتدّ المعضلة الأخلاقية بين واجب القتال وخطورة استهداف مُعلّمٍ مُبجَّل.

Word by Word

अभ्यद्रवन्तthey rushed/ran towards

वेगेनwith speed

कुम्भयोनिवधेप्सयाwith the desire to slay Kumbhayoni (Drona)

कुम्भयोनिof Kumbhayoni (born from a pot; Drona)

वधin/for the slaying

इप्सयाwith desire/intent

पाण्डुनन्दनO son of Pandu

महात्माthe great-souled one

युधिष्ठिरःYudhishthira

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Yudhiṣṭhira

Pāṇḍavas (sons of Pāṇḍu)

Droṇācārya (Kumbhayoni)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral pressure of wartime duty: once a command is given, warriors may pursue the objective with single-minded force, even when the target is a revered teacher. It invites reflection on how dharma in battle can conflict with reverence, gratitude, and the sanctity of the guru.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, following Yudhiṣṭhira’s instruction, the Pāṇḍavas and allied heroes surge forward rapidly, intent on killing Droṇācārya—referred to by his epithet Kumbhayoni.