Shloka 9

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १८: संशप्तकगणयुद्धे अर्जुनस्यास्त्रप्रयोगः

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

Devanagari script

तेन शब्देन वित्रस्ता संशप्तकवरूथिनी । विचेष्टावस्थिता संख्ये हश्मसारमयी यथा,उस शंखनादसे भयभीत हो वह संशप्तक-सेना युद्धभूमिमें लोहेकी प्रतिमाके समान निश्चेष्ठट खड़ी हो गयी

Transliteration

tena śabdena vitrastā saṁśaptaka-varūthinī | viceṣṭāv asthitā saṅkhye haimasāramayī yathā ||

Translation

Startled by that resounding cry, the Saṁśaptaka battle-array stood in the midst of combat utterly motionless—like a figure cast of solid metal.

Word by Word

तेनby that

शब्देनby the sound

वित्रस्ताterrified

संशप्तक-वरूथिनीthe Saṁśaptaka army/host

विचेष्टाwithout movement; motionless state

अवस्थिताstood; remained

संख्येin battle

हश्मसारमयीmade of iron (iron-like)

यथाas; like

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Saṁśaptaka army (Saṁśaptaka-varūthinī)

śabda (the loud sound, implied war-cry/conch-sound)

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?

Even warriors bound by fierce vows can be overcome by sudden fear when confronted with an overwhelming signal of power; the verse highlights the ethical and psychological strain of kṣatriya-duty, where steadfastness must contend with human vulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, upon hearing a tremendous sound (a war-cry or conch-like blast), the Saṁśaptaka formation becomes frightened and stands frozen on the battlefield, compared to a rigid metal statue.