Mahabharata 7.21.10 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 10

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

ततः सत्यजितं ती&णैर्दशभिर्मर्म भेदिभि: । अविध्यच्छीघ्रमाचार्यश्छित्त्वास्य सशरं धनु:

Transliteration

tataḥ satyajitaṁ tīrṇair daśabhir marma-bhedibhiḥ | avidhyac chīghram ācāryaś chittvāsya saśaraṁ dhanuḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the preceptor Droṇa, first cutting down Satyajit’s bow along with the arrow set upon it, swiftly pierced him with ten sharp shafts that struck the vital points.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)

• सत्यजितम्: Satyajit (as object)
• सत्यजितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तीक्ष्णैः: with sharp (ones)
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• मर्मभेदिभिः: with vital-part-piercing (arrows)
• मर्मभेदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्मभेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अविध्यत्: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)

• आचार्यः: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• छित्त्वा: having cut
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• अस्य: of him, his
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सशरम्: together with the arrows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Ācārya)
• Satyajit
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrows/shafts (bāṇa/śara implied)
• vital points (marma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: extraordinary competence (Droṇa’s precise disabling of an opponent) can be morally neutral as a skill, yet its use in battle raises questions of proportionality, restraint, and duty (dharma) within a destructive conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa swiftly neutralizes Satyajit by first cutting his bow (even with the arrow fitted) and then striking him with ten sharp, vital-point-piercing arrows, as Sañjaya reports the unfolding combat.