Mahabharata 7.34.23 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 34, Shloka 23

Droṇa’s Defensive Stand and Abhimanyu Commissioned to Breach the Cakravyūha (द्रोणानीक-प्रतिरोधः; सौभद्र-नियोजनम्)

Devanagari script

सुतास्तव महाराज त्रिंशत्त्रिदशसंनिभा: । गान्धारराज: कितव: शल्यो भूरिश्रवास्तथा

Transliteration

saṃjaya uvāca | sutās tava mahārāja triṃśat tridaśa-saṃnibhāḥ | gāndhāra-rājaḥ kitavaḥ śalyo bhūriśravās tathā | pārśvataḥ sindhu-rājasya vyarājanta mahā-rathāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Ô grand roi, tes trente fils, resplendissants comme les dieux, ainsi que le roi du Gandhāra, Śakuni — habile aux jeux trompeurs —, Śalya et Bhūriśravas, ces puissants guerriers de char, brillaient sur le flanc du roi du Sindhu, Jayadratha. Le vers souligne comment l’éclat extérieur et des alliances redoutables peuvent masquer des conseils moralement compromis, tandis que l’armée des Kaurava se rassemble autour d’un allié décisif dans la guerre.

Word by Word

• सुताः: sons
• सुताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रिंशत्
• Form: —, Nominative, Plural

• त्रिदश-संनिभाः: resembling the gods
• त्रिदश-संनिभाः: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिदश-संनिभ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गान्धार-राजः: the king of Gandhāra
• गान्धार-राजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धार-राज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कितवः: gambler
• कितवः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कितव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शकुनिः: Śakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शल्यः: Śalya
• शल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भूरिश्रवाः: Bhūriśravas
• भूरिश्रवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूरिश्रवस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तथा: and/also
• तथा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: true

• पार्श्वतः: at the side
• पार्श्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पार्श्वतस्
• Form: true

• सिन्धु-राजस्य: of the king of Sindhu (Jayadratha)
• सिन्धु-राजस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिन्धु-राज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विराजन्त: shone/appeared splendid
• विराजन्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kaurava princes (the thirty sons)
• Śakuni (Gāndhāra king)
• Śalya
• Bhūriśravas
• Jayadratha (Sindhu king)
• Gandhāra
• Sindhu

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts external brilliance and military strength with the moral quality of counsel and intent: even when warriors appear “godlike,” association with deceit (signaled by calling Śakuni a kitava) hints that splendor and power do not guarantee dharmic conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava princes and leading allies—Śakuni, Śalya, and Bhūriśravas—are positioned beside Jayadratha, forming a strong protective flank around him within the battle formation.