Shloka 34

Saubhadra under Concentrated Assault; Pārṣata’s Intervention and Escalation

Devanagari script

निवारितस्तु द्रोणेन धृष्टद्युम्नो महारथ: । न्यवारयच्छरौघांस्तां श्वर्मणा कृतहस्तवत्‌

Transliteration

nivāritas tu droṇena dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārathaḥ | nyavārayac charaughāṁs tān śvarmaṇā kṛtahastavat ||

Translation

দ্রোণ দ্বারা প্রতিহত হয়ে মহারথী ধৃষ্টদ্যুম্ন দক্ষ যোদ্ধার মতো কেবল নিজের ঢাল দিয়েই সেই ঘন বাণসমূহ প্রতিহত করতে লাগল।

Word by Word

• निवारितः: checked/held back
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवारित (√वृ/√वार् + नि, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• द्रोणेन: by Droṇa
• द्रोणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न्यवारयत्: he warded off/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + √वृ (वारयति, causative of √वृ/√वार्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरौघान्: streams/masses of arrows
• शरौघान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरौघ (शर + ओघ)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तान्: those
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शर्मणा: with a shield
• शर्मणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• कृतहस्तवत्: like one with trained/skillful hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतहस्तवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• shield (śvarman)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violent conflict, the verse highlights steadiness and disciplined skill: a trained warrior meets danger without panic, responding with controlled competence rather than rashness—an ethical ideal of self-mastery within one’s duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa blocks Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s advance; in response, Dhṛṣṭadyumna repels Droṇa’s heavy arrow-volley using his shield, demonstrating expert battlefield defense.