Shloka 216

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

आक्रीडन्तो वहन्ति सम सारड्रशबला हया: । आर्य! पुरुषसिंह शिशुपालके पुत्रके सारंगके समान चितकबरे अश्व खेल करते हुए-से वहन कर रहे थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ākrīḍanto vahanti sama-sāradr̥śa-balā hayāḥ | ārya! puruṣa-siṁha śiśu-pālaka-putrake sāraṅgake samāna-citakabare aśva khel karate hue-se vahana kara rahe the |

Translation

সমান বল আৰু সমৰূপ ঘোঁৰাবোৰে যেন খেলি খেলি আৰোহীক বহন কৰিছিল; হে আৰ্য, সেই সিংহসম পুৰুষসকল নিৰ্ভয়ে অশ্বপিঠত ক্ৰীড়া কৰা যেন দেখা গৈছিল।

Word by Word

• आक्रीडन्तः: playing, sporting
• आक्रीडन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आक्रीड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वहन्ति: they carry / they bear
• वहन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन

• सम: together, equally
• सम: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)

• सारदृशबलाः: having strength like arrows/reeds (i.e., very strong) (epithet)
• सारदृशबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारदृशबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sanjaya)
• हयाः (horses)
• पुरुषसिंह (lion-like warriors/men)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how disciplined skill and courage can make even perilous action appear effortless. Ethically, it points to the kṣatriya ideal of mastery and composure in duty, while also reminding the reader that the seeming ‘play’ occurs within the grave reality of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a battlefield movement where strong, well-matched horses carry heroic warriors. Their riding looks like playful sport, emphasizing speed, control, and confidence as the forces surge through the conflict in Droṇa Parva.