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Shloka 19

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

हयान्‌ ध्वजं धनुर्मष्टिमुभी च पार्ष्णिसारथी । अवाकिरत्‌ ततो द्रोण: शरवर्षै: सहस्रश:,द्रोणने सत्यजित॒के घोड़ों, ध्वज, धनुषकी मुष्टि तथा दोनों पार्श्वरक्षकोंपर सहस्रों बाणोंकी वर्षा की

sañjaya uvāca | hayān dhvajaṃ dhanurmuṣṭim ubhī ca pārṣṇisārathī | avākirat tato droṇaḥ śaravarṣaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ||

قال سنجيا: ثم أمطر درونا آلافًا مؤلَّفة من السهام، فأصاب الخيول والراية ومقبض القوس، وأصاب كذلك حارسي الجانبين وسائقي العربة. ويُبرز هذا المشهد دقّة المهارة القتالية بلا رحمة—إذ يصبح تعطيل دعائم العربة فعلًا استراتيجيًا، فتشتدّ الحيرة الأخلاقية بين واجب المحارب وتصاعد ضراوة الحرب.

हयान्horses
हयान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
ध्वजम्banner/standard
ध्वजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
धनुःbow
धनुः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootधनुस्
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
मष्टिम्fist/handle (grip)
मष्टिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमष्टि
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
उभीboth
उभी:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootउभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पार्ष्णिसारथीthe two attendants—Pārṣṇi and Sārathi (side-guards/charioteers)
पार्ष्णिसारथी:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपार्ष्णिसारथि
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
अवाकिरत्showered/covered (with missiles)
अवाकिरत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअव√कॄ (किरति)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
ततःthen/thereupon
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
द्रोणःDroṇa
द्रोणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रोण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शरवर्षैःwith showers of arrows
शरवर्षैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशरवर्ष
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands
सहस्रशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्रशस्

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Droṇa
H
horses
B
banner (dhvaja)
B
bow (dhanuḥ)
B
bow-grip (muṣṭi)
C
charioteers/attendants (sārathi)
F
flank-guards (pārṣṇi)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how warfare often targets the supports of power—horses, banner, and attendants—showing strategic intelligence but also intensifying the moral strain of battle, where duty (kṣatriya-dharma) can slide into relentless destruction.

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa unleashes a massive volley of arrows aimed not only at the warrior but at the chariot’s key components and personnel—horses, standard, bow-grip, and side attendants—seeking to disable and overwhelm the opponent’s fighting capacity.