Shloka 24

Devanagari script

विधूय तान्‌ बाणगणाम्‌ पज्चालानां महारथ: । प्रादुश्चक्रे ततो द्रोणो ब्राह्ममस्त्रं परंतप:

Transliteration

vidhūya tān bāṇagaṇān pāñcālānāṁ mahārathaḥ | prāduścakre tato droṇo brāhmam astraṁ paraṁtapaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having shaken off that volley of arrows from the Pāñcālas, Droṇa—the great chariot-warrior, a scorcher of foes—then brought forth the Brahmā-weapon (Brahmāstra).

Word by Word

• विधूय: having shaken off / having scattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• तान्: those (them)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• बाणगणान्: groups/volleys of arrows
• बाणगणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणगण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पाञ्चालानाम्: of the Panchalas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रादुश्चक्रे: manifested / brought forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रादुस् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मम्: Brahma-related / Brahmic
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon (missile)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• परंतपः: the scorcher of foes
• परंतपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Pāñcālas
• bāṇagaṇa (volley of arrows)
• brāhma-astra (Brahmā-weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of escalation in conflict: when a warrior turns from conventional weapons to a supreme astra, the power involved demands heightened responsibility, restraint, and awareness of consequences—an implicit measure of proportionality within dharma-yuddha ideals.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa withstands and brushes aside the Pāñcālas’ arrow volleys, and then responds by manifesting the brāhma-astra, indicating a decisive and dangerous intensification of the battle.