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Shloka 21

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १८: संशप्तकगणयुद्धे अर्जुनस्यास्त्रप्रयोगः

Drona Parva, Chapter 18: Arjuna’s astra-deployment against the Saṃśaptakas

तांस्तु सर्वान्‌ पृथग्बाणैर्वानरप्रवरध्वज: । प्रत्यविध्यद्‌ ध्वजांश्रैषां भल्लैश्वचिच्छेद सायकान्‌,फिर कपिध्वज अर्जुनने भी पृथक्‌ू-पृथक्‌ बाण मारकर उन सबको घायल कर दिया। भल्‍्लोंद्वारा उनकी ध्वजाओं तथा सायकोंको भी काट गिराया

tāṁstu sarvān pṛthagbāṇair vānarapravaradhvajaḥ | pratyavidhyad dhvajāṁś ca eṣāṁ bhallaiś ciccheda sāyakān ||

Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of the foremost of monkeys, Hanumān, struck each of them separately with his arrows, wounding them one by one; and with sharp bhalla-shafts he also cut down their standards and severed their missiles.

तान्them
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
सर्वान्all
सर्वान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पृथक्separately, one by one
पृथक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक्
बाणैःwith arrows
बाणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबाण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
वानरप्रवरध्वजःhe whose banner bears the foremost of monkeys (Hanuman), i.e., Arjuna
वानरप्रवरध्वजः:
Karta
TypeNoun (epithet)
Rootवानर-प्रवर-ध्वज
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रत्यविध्यत्pierced, struck
प्रत्यविध्यत्:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + व्यध् (प्रति-)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
ध्वजान्banners/standards
ध्वजान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
एषाम्of these (of them)
एषाम्:
TypePronoun
Rootएतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
भल्लैःwith bhalla-arrows (broad-headed shafts)
भल्लैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootभल्ल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चिच्छेदcut off, severed
चिच्छेद:
TypeVerb
Rootछिद्
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सायकान्arrows/missiles
सायकान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसायक
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Arjuna
H
Hanumān (as banner-emblem)
D
dhvaja (standards/flags)
B
bāṇa (arrows)
B
bhalla (cutting arrowheads)
S
sāyaka (missiles)

Educational Q&A

Even amid warfare, the text highlights controlled, purposeful action: Arjuna targets precisely—wounding opponents and disabling their standards and weapons—reflecting disciplined kṣatriya conduct rather than uncontrolled violence.

Sañjaya describes Arjuna (Kapidhvaja) striking the opposing warriors individually with arrows, then using bhalla shafts to cut down their flags and sever their missiles, thereby weakening their fighting capacity and morale.