Mahabharata 7.21.18 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

स तन्न ममृषे द्रोण: पाञ्चाल्येनार्दितो मृधे । ततस्तस्य विनाशाय सत्वरं व्यसृजच्छरान्‌

Transliteration

sa tan na mamṛṣe droṇaḥ pāñcālyenārdito mṛdhe | tatas tasya vināśāya satvaraṁ vyasṛjac charān |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Droṇa could not endure that assault in battle, being hard-pressed by the son of the king of Pāñcāla. Therefore, intent on bringing about his destruction, he swiftly let fly a shower of arrows.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्: that (act/thing)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ममृषे: endured / bore
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृष्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• पाञ्चाल्येन: by the Panchala prince (Satyajit)
• पाञ्चाल्येन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आर्दितः: afflicted / harassed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्दित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Past passive participle (kta)

• मृधे: in battle
• मृधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृध्
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then / therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तस्य: of him
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विनाशाय: for destruction
• विनाशाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• सत्वरम्: quickly / at once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वर

• व्यसृजत्: he discharged / released
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, वि

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Pāñcālya (a Pāñcāla prince; identified in the given context as Satyajit)
• Pāñcāla

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores how battlefield pressure can drive even an esteemed elder like Drona to immediate lethal action. It invites reflection on the ethical tension between martial duty (responding decisively to a threat) and the grave moral consequence of seeking another’s destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of combat, Drona is severely challenged by a Pāñcāla prince (noted here as Satyajit). Unable to bear the onslaught, Drona quickly retaliates by releasing a concentrated volley of arrows aimed at killing him.