Mahabharata 7.39.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 2

अभिमन्युना दुःशासनस्य ताडनम्

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

Devanagari script

विस्तरेणैव मे शंस सर्व गावल्गणे पुन: । विक्रीडितं कुमारस्य स्कन्दस्येवासुरै: सह

Transliteration

vistareṇaiva me śaṃsa sarva gāvalgaṇe punaḥ | vikrīḍitaṃ kumārasya skandasyevāsuraiḥ saha ||

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra sprach: „O Gāvalgaṇa, berichte mir noch einmal—vollständig und im Einzelnen—alles über die Taten des jungen Prinzen, wie Skanda, der im Kampf mit den Asuras spielt.“

Word by Word

• विस्तरेण: in detail / at length
• विस्तरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed / just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Dative, Singular

• शंस: tell / relate
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• गावल्गणे: O Gāvalgaṇa (proper name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गावल्गण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• विक्रीडितम्: the sport/playing; what was played
• विक्रीडितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√क्रीड्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुमारस्य: of the prince/boy
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इव: like / as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• असुरैः: with/as by the Asuras
• असुरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Gāvalgaṇa (Sañjaya)
• kumāra (the prince/youth)
• Skanda (Kārttikeya)
• Asuras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic habit of measuring human conduct against divine archetypes: extraordinary martial prowess is framed through a mythic comparison (Skanda vs. Asuras), encouraging reflection on how power and fame are narrated and morally interpreted in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra urges Sañjaya (addressed as Gāvalgaṇa) to recount again, in full detail, the deeds of a youthful prince on the battlefield, likening those exploits to Skanda’s famed combats and ‘sport’ with the Asuras.