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Shloka 20

द्रोणस्य सुपर्णव्यूहः — युधिष्ठिरप्रत्यव्यूहः

Droṇa’s Suparṇa Formation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Counter-array

भेरीमृदड्शशड्खांश्व दध्मुर्वीरा: सहस्रश: । सिंहनादरवांक्षोग्रांक्ष॒क्रिरे तत्र मारिष,आर्य! वे सहस्रों वीर वहाँ भेरी, मृदंग और शंख बजाने तथा भयानक सिंहनाद करने लगे

bherīmṛdaṅgaśaṅkhāṃś ca dadhmur vīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ | siṃhanādaravāṃś cogrān cakrire tatra māriṣa ||

قال سَنجايا: هناك نفخ آلافُ المحاربين في الأصداف وضربوا الطبولَ الكبيرة وسائر طبول الحرب، وأطلقوا زئيراتٍ كزئير الأسد، شرسةً مُرعبة—ضجيجًا أُريد به إعلانُ البأس، وشحذُ صفوفهم، وإلقاءُ الرعب في جيش الخصم، إذ كانت شدةُ القتال تتصاعد وتشتدّ.

भेरीkettledrum
भेरी:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभेरी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
मृदङ्गdrum
मृदङ्ग:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमृदङ्ग
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
शङ्खान्conches
शङ्खान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशङ्ख
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
दध्मुःblew (sounded)
दध्मुः:
TypeVerb
Rootध्मा
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
वीराःheroes/warriors
वीराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवीर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands
सहस्रशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्रशस्
सिंहनादlion-roar
सिंहनाद:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसिंहनाद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
रवान्cries/sounds
रवान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
उग्रान्fierce/terrible
उग्रान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootउग्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
चक्रिरेmade/uttered
चक्रिरे:
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Ātmanepada
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
मारिषO venerable one (address)
मारिष:
TypeNoun
Rootमारिष
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as māriṣa)
B
bhērī (kettledrum)
M
mṛdaṅga (drum)
Ś
śaṅkha (conch)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how sound—drums, conches, and battle-cries—functions as a moral-neutral tool in war: it strengthens one’s own resolve and intimidates the enemy. It implicitly shows the escalation of conflict and the collective psychology that drives armies toward violence.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, on the battlefield, thousands of warriors begin blowing conches and beating war-drums, while shouting fierce lion-like roars—signaling readiness and intensifying the atmosphere before or during combat.