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Shloka 13

Droṇavadha-saṃniveśaḥ — The Convergence Toward Droṇa’s Fall

Book 7, Chapter 164

सुवर्णपुड्खैरिषुभिराचितौ तौ व्यराजताम्‌ । खटद्योतैरावृती राजन्‌ प्रावषीव वनस्पती,राजन! सुवर्णमय पंखवाले बाणोंसे व्याप्त होकर वे दोनों योद्धा वर्षाकालमें जुगनुओंसे व्याप्त हुए दो वृक्षोंक समान सुशोभित हो रहे थे

suvarṇapuḍkhair iṣubhir ācitau tau vyarājatām | khaṭadyotair āvṛtī rājan prāvaṣīva vanaspatī ||

Sañjaya sprach: O König, jene beiden Krieger, überall bedeckt mit Pfeilen, deren Befiederung aus Gold war, strahlten hell—wie zwei Bäume in der Regenzeit, umhüllt von einem Schwarm Glühwürmchen. Das Bild betont den düsteren Glanz der Schlacht: Selbst wenn Körper durchbohrt werden, können Tapferkeit und Standhaftigkeit leuchtend erscheinen—doch diese Schönheit ist aus Gewalt geboren.

सुवर्णपुड्खैःwith golden-feathered (shafts)
सुवर्णपुड्खैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसुवर्णपुड्ख
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
इषुभिःby/with arrows
इषुभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootइषु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
आचितौheaped/covered (with)
आचितौ:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआ-चि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
विराजताम्shone/appeared splendid
विराजताम्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-राज्
FormImperfect, 3rd, Dual
खटद्योतैःwith fireflies
खटद्योतैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootखटद्योत
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
आवृतीcovered/veiled
आवृती:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootआ-वृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
प्रावृषिin the rainy season
प्रावृषि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रावृष्
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
इवlike/as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
वनस्पतीtwo trees
वनस्पती:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवनस्पति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')
T
two warriors (unnamed in this verse)
A
arrows with golden fletchings
F
fireflies
T
trees (vanaspati)
R
rainy season (prāvaṣi)

Educational Q&A

The verse offers a reflective contrast: the battlefield can appear outwardly radiant through poetic imagery, yet that radiance arises from wounds and weaponry. It invites discernment about the cost of war even when valor and martial excellence are praised within kṣatriya-dharma.

Sañjaya describes two opposing warriors in close combat who are so densely struck by arrows with golden fletchings that they look visually resplendent—likened to monsoon-season trees glittering with fireflies—conveying both intensity and spectacle of the fight.