Shloka 32

भीमसेन-धृष्टद्युम्नयोर्वाक्यं

Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Speeches on Kṣātra-Dharma

Devanagari script

चचाल समरे द्रौणिर्वातनुन्न इव ट्रुम: । स मोहमनुसम्प्राप्तो ध्वजयष्टिं समाश्रित:,राक्षसद्वारा चलाये हुए उन विशाल बाणोंसे घायल हो महाबली अभश्वत्थामा समरांगणमें आँधीके हिलाये हुए वृक्षके समान काँपने लगा। वह ध्वजदण्डका सहारा ले मूर्च्छित हो गया

Transliteration

cacāla samare drauṇir vātanunna iva drumaḥ | sa moham anusamprāpto dhvajayaṣṭiṃ samāśritaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, struck by those mighty arrows driven by the rākṣasa, reeled like a tree shaken by a gale. Overcome by faintness and confusion, he clung to the flagstaff for support and sank into a swoon.

Word by Word

चचालshook, trembled, moved

समरेin battle

द्रौणिःDrona's son (Aśvatthāman)

वातनुन्नःdriven by the wind

इवlike, as if

द्रुमःtree

सःhe

मोहम्faintness, delusion

अनुसम्प्राप्तःhaving come upon, having fallen into

ध्वजयष्टिम्flagstaff, banner-pole

समाश्रितःhaving taken refuge in, leaning on

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

dhvajayaṣṭi (flagstaff)

Rākṣasa (unnamed, implied agent driving the arrows)

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 underscores the fragility of embodied strength: even a famed warrior can be overwhelmed by pain and shock. Ethically, it highlights the harsh reality of war—where prowess does not guarantee steadiness, and where violence rapidly reduces human agency to mere survival and support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Aśvatthāmā, struck by powerful arrows (described as driven by a Rākṣasa), begins to tremble and stagger like a wind-tossed tree. He leans on the banner-staff and falls into a faint, indicating a momentary collapse amid the fighting.