Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ततस्तद्‌ द्रोणपुत्रस्य तेजो5स्त्रबलसम्भवम्‌ । विगाहा[ तौ सुबलिनौ मायया55विशतां तथा,वहाँ पहुँचकर वे दोनों अत्यन्त बलवान वीर द्रोणपुत्रकी अस्त्र-शक्तिसे प्रकट हुई उस आगमें घुसकर मायाद्धारा उसमें प्रविष्ट हो गये

Transliteration

tatas tad droṇaputrasya tejo 'strabala-sambhavam | vigāhya tau subalinau māyayā viśatāṁ tathā ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors ces deux guerriers d’une puissance extrême s’élancèrent dans cette énergie enflammée, née de la force de l’arme du fils de Droṇa ; et, par la māyā, ils y pénétrèrent aussi, franchissant ce qui eût été autrement infranchissable.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तत्that (thing/that power)

द्रोणपुत्रस्यof Droṇa's son (Aśvatthāman)

तेजःsplendor; fiery energy

अस्त्रबलसम्भवम्arisen from the power of weapons

विगाह्यhaving plunged into; entering

तौthose two

सुबलिनौvery strong

माययाby illusion; by magical power

अविशताम्they two entered

तथाthus; in that manner

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman)

astra (weapon-force)

tejas (fiery energy/blaze)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that in war, sheer force (astra-bala) can create seemingly insurmountable danger, yet warriors may rely on māyā—cunning, concealment, or extraordinary means—to pass through it. Ethically, it points to the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between straightforward valor and survival through stratagem.

What is happening in the narrative?

Two very powerful warriors reach the place where a fierce blaze/energy has manifested from Aśvatthāman’s weapon-power. They plunge into that fiery force and, using māyā, manage to enter/pass through it.