Mahabharata 7.21.22 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ हते महामात्रे पज्चालानां महारथे । अपायाज्जवनैरश्रैद्रोणात्‌ त्रस्तो युधिष्ठिर:

Transliteration

tasmin hate mahāmātre pāñcālānāṁ mahārathe | apāyāj javanair astrair droṇāt trasto yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Als jener große Befehlshaber—der mächtige Streitwagenkämpfer der Pāñcālas—gefallen war, zog sich Yudhiṣṭhira, von Furcht erschüttert, vor Droṇa zurück, während der Lehrmeister ihn mit schnell fliegenden Waffen bedrängte. Der Augenblick zeigt, wie selbst der gerechte König, der sich der Mäßigung verpflichtet weiß, durch den brutalen Schwung des Krieges zum Rückzug vor überlegener Kampfkraft gezwungen wird.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/time)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• हते: when (he was) slain
• हते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• महामात्रे: in/when the great minister/commander
• महामात्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामात्र
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पाञ्चालानाम्: of the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालानाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथे: in/when the great chariot-warrior
• महारथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अपायात्: departed/withdrew
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + या
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• जवनैः: with swift
• जवनैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जवन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्रैः: weapons/missiles
• अश्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रोणात्: from Drona
• द्रोणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• त्रस्तः: frightened
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रस्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle, used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāñcālas
• Droṇa
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• astras (weapons/missiles)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of dharma in war: even a principled leader like Yudhiṣṭhira can be overwhelmed by circumstances, showing that righteousness must contend with fear, force, and the harsh realities of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a prominent Pāñcāla commander and great chariot-warrior is killed, Droṇa attacks fiercely with rapid astras. Yudhiṣṭhira, alarmed, withdraws from Droṇa’s assault.