Shloka 22

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance

Devanagari script

नाकुलिं तु शतानीकं भूतकर्मा सभापति: । अस्यन्तमिषुजालानि यान्तं द्रोणादवारयत्‌

Transliteration

nākuliṃ tu śatānīkaṃ bhūtakarmā sabhāpatiḥ | asyantam iṣujālāni yāntaṃ droṇād avārayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Bhūtakarmā, lord of the assembly, checked Śatānīka of the Nakula line as he advanced, showering volleys of arrows, and prevented him from reaching Droṇa. In the press of battle, this showed a commander’s duty: to restrain a dangerous advance and protect one’s chief, even amid the moral weight of kin-slaying and the chaos of war.

Word by Word

• नकुलिम्: Nakuli (name of a warrior)
• नकुलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुली
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शतानीकम्: Shatanika (name of a warrior)
• शतानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतानीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतकर्मा: one whose deeds are accomplished (epithet)
• भूतकर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सभापतिः: lord/president of the assembly
• सभापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्यन्: shooting/casting
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (क्षेपणे)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इषुजालानि: nets/volleys of arrows
• इषुजालानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषुजाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• यान्तम्: going/advancing
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (गत्यर्थः)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणात्: from Drona
• द्रोणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अवारयत्: checked/stopped/warded off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारणे) + अव
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śatānīka (of Nakula’s line)
• Bhūtakarmā
• Droṇa
• arrows (iṣu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, a leader’s dharma includes disciplined restraint and protection of key persons; valor is guided by responsibility, not mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śatānīka, identified as a descendant of Nakula, advances while releasing dense volleys of arrows; Bhūtakarmā intercepts and prevents him from reaching Droṇa.