Shloka 19

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

आमपात्रनिकाशास्तु पांचाल्यममितौजसम्‌

Transliteration

āmapātranīkāśāstu pāñcālyam amitaujasam

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ces traits/armes, dont l’aspect rappelait des vases d’argile non cuite, frappèrent le puissant prince des Pāñcālas, à la vaillance sans mesure—évoquant la force sombre et impersonnelle de la guerre, où même les plus braves sont assaillis par des projectiles implacables.

Word by Word

• आमपात्रनिकाशाः: resembling unbaked earthen vessels (i.e., pale/ashen-like)
• आमपात्रनिकाशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आमपात्रनिकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पाञ्चाल्यम्: the Panchala prince (Dhrishtadyumna)/the Panchala (person)
• पाञ्चाल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमितौजसम्: of immeasurable vigor/might
• अमितौजसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमितौजस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāñcālya (Pāñcāla prince, likely Dhṛṣṭadyumna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the harsh impartiality of battle: even a warrior of immeasurable strength can be struck down by the sheer mechanics of warfare, reminding readers that valor must be guided by dharma and humility before the forces unleashed in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes missiles/weapons—characterized by a dull, earthen, unbaked-pot-like appearance—being directed at and striking the mighty Pāñcāla prince (Pāñcālya), emphasizing the intensity of the ongoing combat in Droṇa Parva.