Shloka 246

Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption

Devanagari script

सौभद्रमुद्यतास्त्रातुम भ्यधावन्त पाण्डवा: । “इधर ये क्रोधमें भरे हुए पाण्डव सुभद्राकुमारकी रक्षा करनेके लिये उद्यत हो प्रचण्ड बलशाली सिंहोंके समान धावा कर चुके हैं"

Transliteration

saubhadram udyatāstrātum abhyadhāvanta pāṇḍavāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Les Pāṇḍava, décidés à protéger Saubhadra (Abhimanyu) des armes levées de ses ennemis, se ruèrent en avant. Enflammés d’une colère juste, ils chargèrent tels de puissants lions.»

Word by Word

• सौभद्रम्: Abhimanyu (son of Subhadrā)
• सौभद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र (सुभद्रा-पुत्र)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्यत: raised/ready (to act)
• उद्यत: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत (उद्-यत)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रातुम्: to protect
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रा (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (Tumun), Parasmaipada (usage)

• अभ्यधावन्: ran towards/charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु) + अभि-
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवाः: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• astras (weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, dharma is expressed through protective responsibility: the Pāṇḍavas’ fierce advance is framed not as mere aggression but as a duty-bound effort to shield a vulnerable ally/kinsman (Saubhadra) from imminent harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the Pāṇḍavas rushing forward with weapons-ready resolve to protect Abhimanyu (Saubhadra), comparing their forceful charge to powerful lions—signaling urgency, wrath, and protective intent on the battlefield.