Mahabharata 7.49.3 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 3

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 49: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Strategic Foreboding after Abhimanyu’s Fall

Devanagari script

महारथस्तत: कार्ष्णि: संजग्राह महागदाम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mahārathas tataḥ kārṣṇiḥ sañjagrāha mahāgadām | tato mahārathī abhimanyunā eka viśālā gadā hastam̐ le lī | śatrubhiḥ sa dhanuḥ-ratha-khaḍga-cakraiḥ api vañcitaḥ | tasmāt gadā-pāṇir abhimanyuḥ aśvatthāmānam upari dhāvata |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da ergriff Abhimanyu, der große Mahāratha — aus der Linie Kṛṣṇas — eine gewaltige Keule. Von den Feinden um Bogen, Streitwagen, Schwert und scheibenartige Waffen gebracht, wählte er die Keule als letztes Mittel des Widerstands. Mit der Keule in der Hand stürmte Abhimanyu geradewegs auf Aśvatthāmā zu und verkörperte das Kṣatriya-Dharma: unbeirrbaren Mut, selbst wenn man der gewohnten Waffen beraubt ist.

Word by Word

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कार्ष्णिः: the descendant of Kṛṣṇa (Kārṣṇi)
• कार्ष्णिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्ष्णि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संजग्राह: seized/took up
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ग्रह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महागदाम्: a great mace
• महागदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महागदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Aśvatthāmā
• mace (gadā)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• chariot (ratha)
• sword (khaḍga)
• discus/wheel-weapon (cakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: when conventional supports and weapons are taken away, one should still uphold duty with courage and presence of mind, choosing whatever righteous means remain rather than collapsing into despair.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Abhimanyu, having been deprived of multiple weapons and even his chariot, taking up a heavy mace and charging toward Aśvatthāmā, continuing the fight despite severe disadvantage.