Shloka 24

अभिमन्योरावरणम्

Encirclement and counter-strikes of Abhimanyu

Devanagari script

ततः क्राथ: शरख्रातैरार्जुनिं समवाकिरत्‌ । अथेतरे संनिवृत्ता: पुनद्रोणमुखा रथा:,तदनन्तर क्राथने अर्जुनकुमार अभिमन्युपर बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी। इतनेहीमें द्रोण आदि दूसरे महारथी भी पुनः लौट आये

Transliteration

tataḥ krāthaḥ śaravrātair ārjunim samavākirat | atha itare saṁnivṛttāḥ punar droṇamukhā rathāḥ ||

Translation

তাৰ পিছত ক্রাথে অৰ্জুনপুত্ৰৰ ওপৰত বাণৰ ঝাৰ বৰষালে। আৰু যিসকল ৰথী ক্ষণকালৰ বাবে আঁতৰি গৈছিল—দ্ৰোণক অগ্ৰে ৰাখি—তেওঁলোক পুনৰ ঘূৰি আহি সম্মুখভাগত উপস্থিত হ’ল।

Word by Word

ततःthen/thereafter

क्राथःKrātha (a warrior)

शरख्रातैःwith arrow(-like) weapons / with arrows (as 'śara-khrāta')

अर्जुनिम्Arjuna’s son (Abhimanyu)

समवाकिरत्showered/covered (with missiles)

अथthen/and then

इतरेthe others

संनिवृत्ताःhaving turned back/returned

पुनःagain

द्रोणमुखाःwith Droṇa at the head / led by Droṇa

रथाःchariots (i.e., chariot-warriors)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Krātha

Abhimanyu

Droṇa

rathāḥ (chariot-warriors)

śara (arrows)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: a warrior’s steadfastness is tested when opponents coordinate and renew attacks. It points to the kṣatriya ideal of endurance and duty amid escalating danger, while also implicitly questioning the morality of overwhelming a single combatant through combined pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Krātha begins a heavy arrow-shower against Abhimanyu (Arjuna’s son). At the same time, other chariot-warriors—now led again by Droṇa—return to the fight, indicating a renewed, organized offensive around Abhimanyu.