Mahabharata 7.97.38 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 38

शैनेयचरितम्

The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement

Devanagari script

शैब्यो गोवासनो राजा योधैर्दशशतावरै: । काश्यस्याभि भुव: पुत्र पराक्रान्तमवारयत्‌,शिबिदेशीय राजा गोवासनने कम-से-कम एक सहस्र योद्धा साथ लेकर काशिराज अभिभूके पराक्रमी पुत्रका सामना किया

Transliteration

saibyo govāsano rājā yodhair daśaśatāvaraiḥ | kāśyasyābhibhuvaḥ putraḥ parākrāntam avārayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: El rey Govāsana del país de los Śibi, acompañado por guerreros que se contaban por millares, contuvo el avance del valiente hijo de Abhibhū de Kāśī. En el fragor de la batalla, un soberano regional se alza como baluarte frente a un célebre príncipe de Kāśī: un episodio que muestra cómo el deber en la guerra se cumple mediante una resistencia organizada y la lealtad al propio bando, aun en medio de una violencia desbordante.

Word by Word

• शैब्यः: Śaibya (a king of the Śibi country)
• शैब्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैब्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गोवासनो: Govāsana (name/epithet of the king)
• गोवासनो: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवासन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• योधैः: with warriors
• योधैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दशशतावरैः: numbering a thousand (ten hundreds)
• दशशतावरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशशतावर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• काश्यस्य: of the king of Kāśi
• काश्यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अभिभूः: Abhibhū (proper name)
• अभिभूः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिभू
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रम्: son
• पुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पराक्रान्तम्: valiant, mighty
• पराक्रान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवारयत्: checked, opposed, stopped
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Govāsana
• Śibi (Śibi-deśa)
• Abhibhū
• Kāśī (Kāśya)
• warriors (yodhas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in practice: in war, leaders must protect their side by confronting powerful opponents. Ethical emphasis lies in steadfastness, organized defense, and fulfilling one’s role without retreat when duty demands resistance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a battlefield encounter: Govāsana, the Śibi king, arrives with a large force and halts the advance of the courageous son of Abhibhū from Kāśī, preventing him from pushing forward in the fight.