Shloka 14

Rātri-yuddhe Droṇasya prahāraḥ — Bhīmasenasya dhārtarāṣṭra-śūrānām nigrahaḥ

Night Battle: Droṇa’s Assault and Bhīma’s Suppression of Dhārtarāṣṭra Warriors

Devanagari script

यदा तु विशिखैस्ती&णैद्रोणचापविनि:सृतै: । वध्यन्ते समरे वीरा: शतशो5थ सहस्रश:

Transliteration

yadā tu viśikhaiḥ tīrṇai droṇacāpaviniḥsṛtaiḥ | vadhyante samare vīrāḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: But when the heroes in the battle are struck down—by hundreds and then by thousands—by the arrows that have flown forth from Droṇa’s bow, the field becomes a testimony to the terrible power of mastery in war, and to the grave moral cost that such mastery exacts when turned to slaughter.

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रोणचापविनिःसृतैः: shot forth from Droṇa's bow
• द्रोणचापविनिःसृतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोणचापविनिःसृत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• वध्यन्ते: are slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Present, Passive, Third, Plural

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वीराः: heroes/warriors
• वीराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शतशः: by hundreds
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशस्

• अथ: and then/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇa’s bow
• arrows
• warriors (vīrāḥ)