Shloka 32

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya-saṃvādaḥ; madhyāhna-saṅgrāma-pravṛttiḥ

Dhritarashtra–Sanjaya dialogue and the midday battle escalation

Devanagari script

ततः शरसहस्राणि बहूनि भरतर्षभ | प्रेषयामास समरे द्रौणि: परमकोपन:,भरतश्रेष्ठ) तब परम क्रोधी अश्वत्थामाने समरभूमिमें शिखण्डीपर कई हजार बाणोंकी वर्षा की

Transliteration

tataḥ śarasahasrāṇi bahūni bharatarṣabha | preṣayāmāsa samare drauṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors, ô taureau parmi les Bharata, le fils de Droṇa, saisi d’une colère extrême, envoya dans la bataille des milliers de flèches, déchaînant une volée farouche contre son ennemi.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• शर-सहस्राणि: thousands of arrows
• शर-सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भरत-ऋषभ: O bull of the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रेषयामास: sent, discharged
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषयति)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (son of Drona; Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम-कोपनः: extremely wrathful
• परम-कोपनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-कोपन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied addressee via bharatarṣabha)
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• Droṇa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger (kopa) intensifies violence: even legitimate warrior prowess, when driven by wrath, becomes a force of excessive destruction, warning that inner discipline is essential to dharma in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā), in great fury, releases a massive volley—thousands of arrows—during the battle, escalating the combat’s ferocity.