Shloka 14

स्त्री-विलापः — गान्धार्याः रणभूमिदर्शनं शापवचनं च

Battlefield Lament and Gāndhārī’s Curse

Devanagari script

रथाग्न्यगारं चापार्चि:शरशक्तिगदेन्धनम्‌ | द्रोणमासाद्य निर्दग्धा: शलभा इव पावकम्‌

Transliteration

rathāgnyagāraṃ cāpārciḥśaraśaktigadendhanam | droṇam āsādya nirdagdhāḥ śalabhā iva pāvakam ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Reaching Droṇa—who was like a blazing fire-chamber of chariots, whose flames were arrows, spears, and maces as fuel—they were burned up, like moths rushing into a fire.

Word by Word

• रथ: chariot
• रथ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अगारम्: house, abode
• अगारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगार
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपार्चिः: having boundless flames
• अपार्चिः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपार्चिस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शर: arrow
• शर: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्ति: spear, lance
• शक्ति: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इन्धनम्: fuel
• इन्धनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्धन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आसाद्य: having approached, reaching
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• निर्दग्धाः: burnt up, consumed
• निर्दग्धाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर् + दह्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शलभाः: moths
• शलभाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शलभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Droṇa
• chariot
• arrows
• spears (śakti)
• mace (gadā)
• fire (pāvaka)
• moths (śalabhāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns of the self-destructive pull of violent conflict: when warriors rush into overwhelming destructive power, courage without discernment leads to ruin, highlighting the ethical cost and futility embedded in war’s blaze.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes combatants who, upon attacking Droṇa, are annihilated. Droṇa is portrayed as a raging fire fed by weapons, and the attackers as moths consumed when they fly into flame.