Mahabharata 7.21.5 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 5

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

ततो द्रोणं महेष्वास: सत्यजित्‌ सत्यविक्रम: । अविध्यन्निशिताग्रेण परमास्त्रं विदर्शयन्‌

Transliteration

tato droṇaṁ maheṣvāsaḥ satyajit satyavikramaḥ | avidhyanniśitāgreṇa paramāstraṁ vidarśayan |

Translation

তখন সত্যবিক্রম মহাধনুর্ধর সত্যজিৎ পরম অস্ত্রকৌশল প্রদর্শন করতে করতে তীক্ষ্ণাগ্র বাণে দ্রোণাচার্যকে বিদ্ধ করল।

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महेष्वासः: the great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्यजित्: Satyajit (conqueror of truth)
• सत्यजित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्यविक्रमः: of true valor
• सत्यविक्रमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यविक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अविध्यत्: pierced, struck
• अविध्यत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निशिताग्रेण: with a sharp-pointed (arrow)
• निशिताग्रेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशिताग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• परमास्त्रम्: the supreme weapon
• परमास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विदर्शयन्: showing, displaying
• विदर्शयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदर्शयत् (कृदन्त; √दृश्/दर्श् + वि, णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Satyajit
• arrow (bāṇa)
• paramāstra (supreme weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of dharma in war: personal reverence (toward a revered teacher like Droṇa) is subordinated to kṣatriya-duty and battlefield obligation, showing how righteous conflict can force painful actions against respected figures.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Satyajit, a powerful archer, demonstrates his highest weapon-skill and pierces Droṇa with a sharp arrow, injuring him amid the fighting.