Shloka 5

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 37: Sañjaya’s Account of Abhimanyu’s Precision Disruption of a Chariot Contingent

Devanagari script

द्रोणो द्रौणि: कृप: कर्ण: कृतवर्मा च सौबल: । बृहद्धलो मद्रराजो भूरिभ्भूरिश्रवा: शल:,द्रोण, अश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य, कर्ण, कृतवर्मा, सुबलपुत्र शकुनि, बृहद्वल, मद्रराज शल्य, भूरि, भूरिश्रवा, शल, पौरव तथा वृषसेन--ये अभिमन्युपर तीखे बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे। इन्होंने महान्‌ बाण-वर्षद्वारा अभिमन्युको आच्छादित कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

droṇo drauṇiḥ kṛpaḥ karṇaḥ kṛtavarmā ca saubalaḥ |

bṛhaddhalo madrarājo bhūribhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: درونا، وأشفاتثاما ابنُ درونا، وكريبا، وكرنا، وكريتافارما، وساوبالا (شكوني)، ومعهم بريهادبالا، وملكُ مادرا شاليا، وبوري، وبوريشرافاس، وشالا—هؤلاء الأبطال أمطروا أبهيمانيو بوابلٍ شرس من السهام، حتى غطّوه بعاصفةٍ عظيمة من المقاذيف.

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sañjaya said', 'droṇaḥ': 'Droṇa (preceptor and commander)', 'drauṇiḥ': 'son of Droṇa

• Aśvatthāmā', 'kṛpaḥ': 'Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)', 'karṇaḥ': 'Karṇa', 'kṛtavarmā': 'Kṛtavarmā', 'saubalaḥ': 'son of Subala

• Śakuni', 'bṛhaddhalaḥ': 'Bṛhadbala (a king/warrior)', 'madrarājaḥ': 'king of Madra

• Śalya', 'bhūriḥ': 'Bhūri (a warrior named Bhūri)', 'bhūriśravāḥ': 'Bhūriśravas', 'śalaḥ': 'Śala (a warrior named Śala)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Karṇa
• Kṛtavarmā
• Śakuni (Saubala)
• Bṛhadbala
• Śalya (Madrarāja)
• Bhūri
• Bhūriśravas
• Śala
• Abhimanyu
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: collective force and tactical necessity can eclipse ideals of righteous combat. It invites reflection on dharma in battle—how power, seniority, and desperation can lead to actions that appear disproportionate against a lone opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that several leading Kaurava warriors—Droṇa and other prominent fighters—jointly attack Abhimanyu, unleashing a concentrated barrage of arrows that covers him, intensifying the crisis around his lone advance within the enemy formation.