Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.39.12 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 12

अभिमन्युना दुःशासनस्य ताडनम्

Abhimanyu’s Rebuke and Wounding of Duḥśāsana; Karṇa’s Counter-volley

Devanagari script

नकुलं सहदेवं च भीमसेनं च पाण्डवम्‌ | बन्धून्‌ सम्बन्धिनश्चान्यान्‌ मध्यस्थान्‌ सुहृदस्तथा

Transliteration

nakulaṃ sahadevaṃ ca bhīmasenaṃ ca pāṇḍavam | bandhūn sambandhinaścānyān madhyasthān suhṛdastathā ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „(Er erfreut) Nakula und Sahadeva und Bhīmasena, den Sohn Pāṇḍus; ebenso andere Verwandte und Angehörige wie auch wohlgesinnte Neutrale.“

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Word by Word

• नकुलम्: Nakula
• नकुलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहदेवम्: Sahadeva
• सहदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भीमसेनम्: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पाण्डवम्: the Pandava (son of Pandu)
• पाण्डवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बन्धून्: kinsmen, relatives
• बन्धून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्बन्धिनः: relations, connected persons
• सम्बन्धिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्बन्धिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• मध्यस्थान्: neutral parties, mediators
• मध्यस्थान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सुहृदः: well-wishers, friends
• सुहृदः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तथा: likewise, also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Pāṇḍu
• Pāṇḍavas
• bandhu (kinsmen)
• sambandhin (relations)
• madhyastha (neutrals/mediators)
• suhṛd (well-wishers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how righteous courage and exemplary conduct in crisis can strengthen an entire community—close allies, extended relations, and even neutrals—by generating confidence and goodwill amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya lists those who are heartened—Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhīma, and other relatives and neutral well-wishers—within the broader account of the Kurukṣetra war, where Abhimanyu’s advance and valor are portrayed as uplifting the Pāṇḍava side.