Shloka 49

Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds

Devanagari script

अभिमन्युं महात्मानं व्यात्ताननमिवान्तकम्‌ | द्रोणायाभिमुखं यान्तं के शूरा: समवारयन्‌,जिस वीरमें अर्जुनसे भी अधिक मात्रामें समस्त गुण मौजूद हैं, जिसमें अस्त्र, सत्य तथा ब्रह्मचर्य सदा प्रतिष्ठित हैं, जो पराक्रममें भगवान्‌ श्रीकृष्ण, बलमें अर्जुन, तेजमें सूर्य और बुद्धिमें बृहस्पतिके समान है, वह महामना अभिमन्यु जब मुँह फैलाये हुए कालके समान द्रोणाचार्यके सम्मुख जा रहा था, उस समय किन शूरवीरोंने उसे रोका था?

Transliteration

abhimanyuṁ mahātmānaṁ vyāttānanaṁ ivāntakam | droṇāyābhimukhaṁ yāntaṁ ke śūrāḥ samavārayan |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “As the great-souled Abhimanyu advanced straight toward Droṇa, his mouth agape like Death itself, which warriors stepped forward to check and restrain him?”

Word by Word

अभिमन्युम्Abhimanyu (as object)

महात्मानम्the great-souled one

व्यात्तwith opened (wide)

आननम्mouth/face

इवlike, as

अन्तकम्Death (Yama)

द्रोणायto/for Drona

अभिमुखम्towards, facing

यान्तम्going, proceeding

केwhich? who?

शूराःheroes, warriors

समवारयन्they restrained/checked

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Abhimanyu

Droṇa

Antaka (Death personified)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya valor and resolve in dharmic warfare: Abhimanyu advances fearlessly toward a formidable teacher-warrior (Droṇa), portrayed with the awe-inspiring imagery of Death. Ethically, it underscores steadfastness in duty even when confronting overwhelming danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes Abhimanyu charging directly at Droṇa with terrifying intensity, and then poses a suspenseful question: which warriors on the battlefield moved to stop him.