Shloka 21

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

शिखण्डिनं तु समरे द्रोणप्रेप्सुं विशाम्पते । कृप: शारद्वतो यत्त: प्रत्यगच्छत्‌ सवेगित:,प्रजानाथ! द्रोणाचार्यके साथ युद्धकी इच्छावाले शिखण्डीका समरभूमिमें सामना करनेके लिये प्रयत्नशील हो शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्य बड़े वेगसे आगे बढ़े

Transliteration

śikhaṇḍinaṃ tu samare droṇaprepsuṃ viśāmpate | kṛpaḥ śāradvato yatnaḥ pratyagacchat savegitaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O lord of the people, seeing Śikhaṇḍin eager to engage Droṇa in battle, Kṛpa—son of Śaradvat—strove to confront him and rushed forward with great speed.

Word by Word

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

• द्रोण-प्रेप्सुम्: desiring to reach/attack Drona
• द्रोण-प्रेप्सुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोण-प्रेप्सु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विशाम्पते: O lord of the people
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशाम्पति
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कृपः: Kripa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शारद्वतः: Sharadvata (son of Sharadvat)
• शारद्वतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यत्तः: striving/intent
• यत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यगच्छत्: went forth/advanced toward
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स-वेगितः: with great speed
• स-वेगितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सवेगित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Śikhaṇḍin (Śikhaṇḍi)
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Śaradvat

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma: when a formidable threat moves to strike a key leader (Droṇa), responsible warriors (here Kṛpa) step forward to intercept, prioritizing protection of their commander and fulfilling their martial obligation even amid moral complexity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śikhaṇḍi, intent on confronting Droṇa, advances in the battle. Kṛpācārya, identified as Śāradvata (son of Śaradvat), hastens forward to meet Śikhaṇḍi and oppose him.