Shloka 28

अध्याय ३१ — द्रोणानीके तुमुलसंग्रामः

The Tumultuous Battle around Droṇa’s Formation

Devanagari script

अचिन्तयंश्न ते सर्वे पाण्डवानां महारथा: । कथं नो वासविस्त्रायाच्छत्रुभ्य इति मारिष,आर्य! उस समय समस्त पाण्डव महारथी यह सोचने लगे कि इन्द्रकुमार अर्जुन शत्रुओंके हाथसे हमारी रक्षा कैसे कर सकते हैं?

Transliteration

acintayaṃś ca te sarve pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ | kathaṃ no vāsaviḥ trāyāc chatrubhya iti māriṣa ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da verfielen alle großen Wagenkämpfer auf Seiten der Pāṇḍavas in sorgenschwere Überlegung: „Wie kann Vāsavīs Sohn — Arjuna, der Sohn Indras — uns vor den Feinden schützen?“ Die Zeile zeichnet einen Augenblick strategischer und moralischer Abhängigkeit im Krieg, in dem das Vertrauen der gerechten Partei auf der Kraft und Verantwortung eines einzigen Helden ruht.

Word by Word

• अचिन्तयन्: were thinking
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)

• नः: of us / our
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Plural

• वासविः: the son of Vasava (Arjuna)
• वासविः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रायात्: might protect / should protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शत्रुभ्यः: from enemies
• शत्रुभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)

• मारिष: O sir / O noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• आर्य: O noble one
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Arjuna
• Indra (Vāsava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a righteous cause, warriors experience fear and uncertainty; dharma in war includes acknowledging vulnerability and relying on capable leadership. The verse highlights the ethical weight placed on a protector-hero (Arjuna) whose duty is to shield allies from harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava-side great warriors are collectively thinking with concern about how Arjuna—identified by his divine lineage as Indra’s son—will be able to protect them against the enemy forces in the unfolding battle.