Mahabharata 7.92.16 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 92, Shloka 16

द्रोणपर्व — द्विनवति-तमोऽध्यायः

Sātyaki Pressed by Kauravas; Duryodhana and Kṛtavarmā Engagements

Devanagari script

मन्दवेगा नरा नागा बभूवुस्ते विचेतस: । शरैराशीविषस्पर्श्निर्भिन्ना: सव्यसाचिना

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mandavegā narā nāgā babhūvus te vicetasaḥ | śarair āśīviṣasparśair bhinnāḥ savyasācinā ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Aquellos hombres y elefantes quedaron con el ímpetu menguado y la mente extraviada; y el Savyasācī los hizo pedazos con flechas mortíferas, como el contacto de serpientes venenosas.

Word by Word

• मन्दवेगाः: slow in speed / with slackened speed
• मन्दवेगाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्दवेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नागाः: elephants
• नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बभूवुः: became
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Plural

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विचेतसः: senseless / unconscious
• विचेतसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आशीविषस्पर्श्निः: having the touch of a venomous serpent (i.e., serpent-like in sting)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविषस्पर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भिन्नाः: pierced / split
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सव्यसाचिना: by Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाचिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Savyasācī)
• men/warriors (narāḥ)
• elephants (nāgāḥ)
• arrows (śarāḥ)
• venomous serpents (āśīviṣāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of composure in war: fear and sensory overwhelm can strip warriors of discernment, while skill and force (here, Arjuna’s archery) can decisively break an opposing formation—raising ethical reflection on how quickly violence turns living beings into powerless victims.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna (Savyasācī) piercing the opposing men and elephants with arrows likened to venomous serpents’ touch; their speed falters and they become bewildered and shattered under the assault.