Mahabharata 7.99.34 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 99, Shloka 34

अध्याय ९९ — युयुधान-दुःशासन-युद्धम्

Chapter 99: Sātyaki and Duḥśāsana’s engagement

Devanagari script

सात्यकिं प्रेक्ष्य गोप्तारं पाउ्चाल्यं च महाहवे । शराणां त्वरितो द्रोण: षड्विंशत्या समार्पयत्‌

Transliteration

sātyakiṃ prekṣya goptāraṃ pāñcālyaṃ ca mahāhave | śarāṇāṃ tvarito droṇaḥ ṣaḍviṃśatyā samārpayat ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Al ver a Sātyaki actuar como protector del príncipe de Pāñcāla en aquella gran batalla, Droṇa, presto en su respuesta, lo hirió al instante con veintiséis flechas—oponiendo a la tutela una fuerza inmediata y medida, conforme a la ética de la guerra.

Word by Word

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki (as object)
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• गोप्तारम्: protector/guardian
• गोप्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पाञ्चाल्यम्: the Pāñcālya (Dhr̥ṣṭadyumna)
• पाञ्चाल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• महाहवे: in the great battle
• महाहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शराणाम्: of arrows
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• त्वरितः: swift/quick (being in haste)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• षड्विंशत्या: with twenty-six (arrows)
• षड्विंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• समार्पयत्: he struck/assailed (lit. delivered/applied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-ऋप्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• सात्यकि / युयुधान (Sātyaki/Yuyudhāna)
• पाञ्चाल्य / धृष्टद्युम्न (Pāñcālya/Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• द्रोण / द्रोणाचार्य (Droṇa/Droṇācārya)
• शर (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma as immediate responsibility: protection invites counter-action, and a commander responds swiftly to shifts in defense. It frames combat as a contest of duty—guarding an ally and neutralizing that guard—rather than personal hatred.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sātyaki positions himself as the defender of the Pāñcāla prince (Dhṛṣṭadyumna). Observing this, Droṇa quickly targets Sātyaki and strikes him with a volley of twenty-six arrows to break that protective screen.