Mahabharata 7.39.7 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 7

अभिमन्युना दुःशासनस्य ताडनम्

Abhimanyu’s Rebuke and Wounding of Duḥśāsana; Karṇa’s Counter-volley

Devanagari script

निध्नन्नमित्रान्‌ सौभद्र: परमास्त्रै: प्रतापवान्‌ | अदर्शयत तेजस्वी दिक्षु सर्वासु भारत

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | nighnann amitrān saubhadraḥ paramāstraiḥ pratāpavān | adarśayat tejasvī dikṣu sarvāsu bhārata bhārata |

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: El poderoso Saubhadra, derribando a sus enemigos con armas celestiales supremas, resplandecía de proeza. ¡Oh Bhārata, descendiente de Bharata!, su figura radiante se veía en todas direcciones mientras destruía las filas enemigas.

Word by Word

• निध्नन्: slaying, killing
• निध्नन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अमित्रान्: enemies
• अमित्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सौभद्रः: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परम-अस्त्रैः: with supreme weapons
• परम-अस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अदर्शयत्: showed, made visible
• अदर्शयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) (प्र-√दृश् causative: दर्शय)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम, एकवचन

• तेजस्वी: radiant, brilliant
• तेजस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दिक्षु: in the directions
• दिक्षु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• सर्वासु: in all
• सर्वासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• Subhadrā
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• paramāstra (divine weapons/astras)
• enemies (amitra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield form: disciplined courage and effective action in a righteous cause, while reminding the listener that dazzling power (tejas, astras) is ethically framed by duty and the larger moral stakes of the war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu (Saubhadra) cutting down enemy warriors with powerful astras. His radiance and prowess are so striking that he seems visible in all directions, emphasizing his dominance and momentum in the fight.