Mahabharata 7.48.353 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 48, Shloka 353

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

Devanagari script

आर्जुनिर्व्यचरद्‌ व्योम्नि भृशं वै पक्षिराडिव । अर्जुनकुमार अभिमन्यु कौशिक आदि मार्गों (पैतरों) द्वारा तथा शीघ्रकारिता और बल- पराक्रमसे पक्षिराज गरुड़की भाँति भूतलकी अपेक्षा आकाशमें ही अधिक विचरण करने लगा

Transliteration

ārjunir vyacarat vyomni bhṛśaṃ vai pakṣirāḍ iva |

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Arjuni (Abhimanyu), con velocidad y fuerza extraordinarias, se movía por el cielo como el rey de las aves. La imagen subraya su asombrosa agilidad marcial—elevándose por encima del movimiento común atado a la tierra—y sugiere también la peligrosa intensidad de la batalla, donde tal brillo heroico es puesto a prueba.

Word by Word

• आर्जुनिः: Arjuna's son (Abhimanyu)
• आर्जुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जुनि (अर्जुन-अपत्य/वंशज)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• व्यचरद्: moved about, roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• व्योम्नि: in the sky
• व्योम्नि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन्
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भृशम्: exceedingly, greatly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पक्षिराट्: the king of birds (Garuda)
• पक्षिराट्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिराज्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Arjuna
• Garuḍa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how exceptional ability and courage can elevate a warrior beyond ordinary limits, yet in war such brilliance also carries grave risk; prowess must be understood within the ethical weight and consequences of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu’s rapid, powerful movement in combat, comparing him to Garuḍa as he seems to range through the air, emphasizing his speed, dominance, and striking battlefield presence.