Mahabharata 7.194.47 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 194, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

सशरं तद्‌ धनुर्घोरें संन्यस्याथ रथे ततः । खड्गी रथादवप्लुत्य सहसा द्रोणमभ्ययात्‌

Transliteration

saśaraṃ tad dhanuḥ ghoraṃ saṃnyasyātha rathe tataḥ | khaḍgī rathād avaplutya sahasā droṇam abhyayāt ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Saisissant l’instant qu’il jugeait propice à l’attaque, le vaillant Dhṛṣṭadyumna déposa sur le char son arc redoutable—encore muni de flèches—. L’épée à la main, il bondit à bas du char et se rua soudain droit sur Droṇācārya.

Word by Word

• सशरम्: together with arrows
• सशरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• संन्यस्य: having laid down/placed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-नि-√अस् (न्यास)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as indeclinable gerund)

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• रथे: on/in the chariot
• रथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ततः: thereupon/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• खड्गी: sword-bearing (one with a sword)
• खड्गी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्गिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अवप्लुत्य: having leapt down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√प्लु (प्लवन)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage as indeclinable gerund)

• सहसा: suddenly/with force
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्ययात्: went up to/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√या
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• chariot (ratha)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrows (śara)
• sword (khaḍga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, a warrior may abandon distance-weapons and choose direct confrontation when an opening appears. Ethically, it reflects the tension between strategic necessity and the gravity of attacking a revered teacher-figure, showing how battlefield dharma can press individuals toward decisive, even harsh, action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna perceives a favorable chance to strike Droṇa. He sets his bow with arrows on the chariot, takes up a sword, jumps down from the chariot, and rushes at Droṇācārya.