Mahabharata 7.47.17 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 47, Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ द्रोणो बाणशतं पुत्रगृद्धी न्यपातयत्‌ | अश्वत्थामा तथाष्टौ च परीप्सन्‌ पितरं रणे

Transliteration

tasmin droṇo bāṇaśataṃ putragṛddhī nyapātayat | aśvatthāmā tathāṣṭau ca parīpsan pitaraṃ raṇe |

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: En ese instante Droṇa, movido por un vehemente apego a su hijo, descargó sobre Abhimanyu una lluvia de cien flechas. Aśvatthāmā también, buscando proteger a su padre en la batalla, lo hirió con ocho flechas.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाणशतम्: a hundred arrows
• बाणशतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण-शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पुत्रगृद्धी: eager/greedy for (his) son; attached to his son
• पुत्रगृद्धी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र-गृद्धि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न्यपातयत्: caused to fall; struck down; shot (upon)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (नि + अव + √पत् caus.)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthama
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: also; likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karma
• Type: Numeral
• Root: अष्टन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• परीप्सन्: wishing to protect; desiring to save
• परीप्सन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + आप् (desiderative: परीप्स्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Present active participle (Śatṛ)

• पितरम्: father
• पितरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāmā
• Abhimanyu
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension in war: personal attachment (Droṇa’s love for his son) and filial duty (Aśvatthāmā’s protection of his father) can strongly motivate action, yet in battle these motives manifest through violence. It invites reflection on how dharma is tested when affection and duty operate within destructive circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the fighting, Droṇa shoots Abhimanyu with a volley of one hundred arrows, motivated by concern connected to his son. Aśvatthāmā, intent on safeguarding Droṇa, also shoots Abhimanyu with eight arrows on the battlefield.