Mahabharata 7.21.12 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

दृष्टवा सत्यजिता द्रोणं ग्रस्यमानमिवाहवे । वृक: शरशतैस्तीक3्ष्णै: पाज्चाल्यो द्रोणमार्दयत्‌

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā satyajitaṃ droṇaṃ grasyamānam ivāhave | vṛkaḥ śaraśatais tīkṣṇaiḥ pāñcālyo droṇam ārdayat ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Al ver a Droṇa en el combate como si estuviera siendo devorado por las flechas de Satyajit, el guerrero pāñcāla Vṛka también lo acosó con cientos de saetas aceradas, causando al maestro un dolor extremo.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• सत्यजिता: by Satyajit
• सत्यजिता: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यजित्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• ग्रस्यमानम्: being swallowed/being devoured
• ग्रस्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), कर्मणि, Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वृकः: Vrika (the warrior)
• वृकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरशतैः: with hundreds of arrows
• शरशतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरशत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पाञ्चाल्यः: the Panchala (warrior)
• पाञ्चाल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• आर्दयत्: tormented/afflicted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्द्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, Third, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Satyajit
• Vṛka
• Pāñcāla

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: even a revered teacher like Droṇa is treated as an enemy combatant when one’s kṣatriya-duty and allegiance demand action. Reverence does not automatically suspend the harsh necessities and consequences of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa is being overwhelmed by Satyajit’s arrows; witnessing this, the Pāñcāla warrior Vṛka joins in and strikes Droṇa with hundreds of sharp arrows, intensifying Droṇa’s suffering on the battlefield.