Shloka 28

भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्

Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash

Devanagari script

द्रोणं षष्ट्या नरव्याप्रो विकर्ण च त्रिभि: शरै: । शल्यं चैव त्रिभिर्बाणै राजानं चैव पठचभि:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

droṇaṃ ṣaṣṭyā naravyāghro vikarṇaṃ ca tribhiḥ śaraiḥ |

śalyaṃ caiva tribhir bāṇai rājānaṃ caiva pañcabhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The tiger among men struck Droṇa with sixty arrows, and Vikarna with three. He also pierced Śalya with three shafts, and the king as well with five—driving the battle onward with measured, targeted blows amid the clash of dharma and ambition on the field.

Word by Word

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• षष्ट्या: with sixty
• षष्ट्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• नरव्याघ्रम्: the tiger among men (a hero)
• नरव्याघ्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरव्याघ्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विकर्णम्: Vikarna
• विकर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शल्यम्: Shalya
• शल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Vikarna
• Śalya
• rājā (the king)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of resolute action in battle—precision, courage, and persistence—while implicitly reminding the listener that even disciplined martial excellence operates within the larger moral tension of the Kurukṣetra war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a sequence of strikes in the battle: a heroic warrior (called 'naravyāghra') shoots Droṇa with sixty arrows, then hits Vikarna with three, Śalya with three, and a king with five, showing escalating pressure on prominent opponents.