Mahabharata 7.141.343 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 141, Shloka 343

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

अजस्रमपतन्‌ बाणा भीमसेनरयथं प्रति । धनुषके बलसे उठे हुए वे सुवर्णभूषित बाण भीमसेनके रथपर लगातार गिर रहे थे

Transliteration

ajasram apatan bāṇā bhīmasena-rathaṁ prati | dhanuṣke balase uṭhe huye te suvarṇa-bhūṣitā bāṇā bhīmasenasya rathopari lagātāraṁ giriṣyantaḥ sma |

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Sin cesar, las flechas volaban hacia el carro de Bhīmasena. Disparadas con la fuerza del arco, aquellas saetas adornadas de oro caían sobre su carro sin pausa.

Word by Word

• अजस्रम्: continuously, incessantly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अजस्र
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable adverb)

• अपतन्: fell (were falling)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person plural

• बाणाः: arrows
• बाणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• भीमसेनरथम्: Bhimasena's chariot
• भीमसेनरथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards, against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति
• Form: Avyaya (preposition/particle governing accusative)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• chariot (ratha)
• bow (dhanus)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• gold-adorned arrows (suvarṇa-bhūṣita bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless momentum of battle and the testing of steadfastness: in a war born of adharma and rivalry, even great heroes face continuous assault, underscoring the grim cost of conflict and the need for endurance and discernment within kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a sustained barrage: powerful, gold-decorated arrows are being shot in an unbroken stream toward Bhīmasena’s chariot, striking or falling upon it continuously.