Shloka 21

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 47 — Abhimanyu’s rapid exchanges, counsel to disable his chariot-system

Devanagari script

अथ कोसलराजस्तु विरथ: खड्गचर्मभृत्‌ । इयेष फाल्गुने: कायाच्छिरो हर्तु सकुण्डलम्‌,रथहीन होनेपर कोसलनरेशने हाथमें ढाल और तलवार ले ली तथा अभिमन्युके शरीरसे उसके कुण्डलयुक्त मस्तकको काट लेनेका विचार किया

Transliteration

atha kosalarājas tu virathaḥ khaḍgacarmabhṛt | iyeṣa phālguneḥ kāyāc chiro hartu sakuṇḍalam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the king of Kośala, Viratha, bereft of his chariot, took up sword and shield and resolved to sever from the son of Phalguna the head adorned with earrings—an intent born of battlefield fury and the grim pursuit of a warrior’s trophy, not of any higher restraint.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• कोसलराजः: the king of Kosala
• कोसलराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसलराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• विरथः: without a chariot (chariotless)
• विरथः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• खड्गचर्मभृत्: bearing sword and shield
• खड्गचर्मभृत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्गचर्मभृत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इयेष: desired/intended
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• फाल्गुनेः: of Phalguni (Arjuna)
• फाल्गुनेः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुनि
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• कायात्: from the body
• कायात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हर्तुम्: to take away/carry off
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun)

• सकुण्डलम्: with earrings
• सकुण्डलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकुण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kosala
• Kosalarāja (king of Kosala)
• Viratha
• Phalguni/Phalguna (Arjuna, by patronymic reference)
• Abhimanyu (implied as Phalguna’s son in this context)
• sword (khaḍga)
• shield (carma)
• earrings (kuṇḍala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, anger and the desire for a visible ‘trophy’ can eclipse restraint; it implicitly contrasts raw battlefield impulse with the ethical ideal of disciplined kṣatriya conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being deprived of his chariot, Viratha, the king of Kosala, arms himself with sword and shield and intends to cut off the earring-adorned head of Phalguna’s son (Abhimanyu).