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Shloka 53

Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)

तस्मिन्‌ निपतिते वीरे सौभद्रो द्रौपदीसुत:

tasmin nipatite vīre saubhadro draupadīsutaḥ

قال سانجيا: فلما سقط ذلك البطل صريعًا، تحرّك ابن سوبهادرا—ابن دروبدي—على الفور وتقدّم. وهذه العبارة تُشير إلى منعطفٍ في سرد المعركة: فسقوط مقاتلٍ ذي شأن يستدعي استجابةً عاجلة من البطل التالي، مُبرزًا سلسلة الدارما والولاء والثأر التي تُؤجّج توتّر الحرب الأخلاقي.

तस्मिन्in/when that (one/that situation)
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
निपतितेhaving fallen / fallen
निपतिते:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb-derived Adjective (Past Passive Participle)
Rootनि-पत्
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
वीरेin the hero/warrior
वीरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवीर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
सौभद्रःSaubhadra (Abhimanyu, son of Subhadrā)
सौभद्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun (Patronymic)
Rootसौभद्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
द्रौपदी-सुतःDraupadī's son
द्रौपदी-सुतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रौपदीसुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
S
Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
D
Draupadī’s son (Draupadīsuta/Draupadeya)
T
the fallen hero (unnamed in this half-verse)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of immediate responsibility: when a hero falls, another steps forward. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between loyalty to one’s side and the escalating cycle of vengeance that challenges dharma.

Sañjaya signals that a prominent warrior has been brought down, and in response Abhimanyu (Saubhadra) and a son of Draupadī come into focus, indicating a shift to the next phase of combat and leadership on the field.