Mahabharata 7.13.21 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 21

Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)

Devanagari script

तथैव तव पुत्रस्य रथोदारा: प्रहारिण: । न शेकु: पाण्डवीं सेनां पाल्यमानां किरीटिना

Transliteration

tathaiva tava putrasya rathodārāḥ prahāriṇaḥ | na śekuḥ pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ pālyamānāṃ kirīṭinā | āptair āśu parijñātaṃ bhāradvāja-cikīrṣitam ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : De même, les nobles guerriers de char de ton fils, habiles à frapper, ne purent dominer l’armée des Pāṇḍava, car Arjuna, le porteur du diadème, la protégeait. Et, par des informateurs sûrs, on sut vite et avec précision ce que Bharadvāja (Droṇa) voulait accomplir.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in the same manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• तव: of you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: त्वद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• पुत्रस्य: of (your) son
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथ-उदाराः: noble chariot-warriors (great car-fighters)
• रथ-उदाराः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रथोदारा
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रहारिणः: strikers, assailants
• प्रहारिणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शेकुः: were able
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवीं: Pāṇḍava (belonging to the Pāṇḍavas)
• पाण्डवीं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सेनाम्: army
• सेनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• पाल्यमानाम्: being protected/guarded
• Type: Participle
• Root: पाल्य (पा/पाल् + य)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, Passive, Present (वर्तमान), वर्तमान कर्मणि (शानच्/मानच्)

• किरीटिना: by the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)
• किरीटिना: Karana
• Type: Noun (epithet)
• Root: किरीटिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• आप्तैः: by trusted (ones)
• आप्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• परिज्ञातम्: fully known/ascertained
• Type: Participle
• Root: परि-ज्ञा
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, Past, क्त (PPP)

• भारद्वाज-चिकीर्षितम्: what the Bhāradvāja (Droṇa) intended to do
• Type: Noun (verbal noun/PPP used substantively)
• Root: भारद्वाजचिकीर्षित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'tava')
• Duryodhana (implied by 'your son')
• Arjuna (Kirīṭin)
• Droṇa (Bhāradvāja)
• Pāṇḍava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Strength in war is not only force but also protection, coordination, and timely knowledge. Even powerful attackers fail when the defended side has a capable protector (Arjuna) and when the opponent’s intentions (Droṇa’s plan) are quickly understood through reliable intelligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the foremost chariot-warriors fighting for Duryodhana cannot break the Pāṇḍava formation because Arjuna is guarding it. He also notes that Droṇa’s intended maneuver is promptly discovered through trusted agents, indicating alertness and preparedness on the Pāṇḍava side.