Shloka 33

Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहव: परीप्सन्तो युधिष्ठिरम्‌ । आवव्र॒स्तस्य पन्थानं किरन्त: सायकान्‌ बहून्‌,यह देख विराट, ट्रपद, केकय, सात्यकि, शिबि, पांचालदेशीय व्याप्रदत्त तथा पराक्रमी सिंहसेन--ये तथा और भी बहुत-से नरेश राजा युधिष्ठिरकी रक्षा करनेके लिये बहुत-से सायकोंकी वर्षा करते हुए द्रोणाचार्यकी राह रोककर खड़े हो गये

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavaḥ parīpsanto yudhiṣṭhiram | āvavrus tasya panthānaṁ kirantaḥ sāyakān bahūn ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Many others as well, intent on protecting Yudhiṣṭhira, blocked that route, showering countless arrows to hinder Droṇācārya’s advance.

Word by Word

• {'ete': 'these', 'ca ... ca': 'and ... and', 'anye': 'others', 'bahavaḥ': 'many', 'parīpsantaḥ': 'desiring to protect

• seeking to safeguard', 'yudhiṣṭhiram': 'Yudhiṣṭhira (accusative)', 'āvavruḥ (āvavrus)': 'they surrounded/covered

• they blocked', 'tasya': 'his/that (of him/that one)', 'panthānam': 'path, route, way', 'kirantaḥ': 'scattering, pouring forth', 'sāyakān': 'arrows', 'bahūn': 'many, numerous'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇācārya
• arrows (sāyaka)
• path/route (panthāna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty expressed as protective loyalty: warriors place themselves in harm’s way to safeguard their leader, implying that dharma in war includes defense of the righteous king and disciplined collective action rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that many fighters gather to protect Yudhiṣṭhira by physically blocking the route and unleashing volleys of arrows, thereby preventing Droṇa from advancing along that path.