Mahabharata 7.17.47 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 17, Shloka 47

Saṃśaptakas in Candrārdha-vyūha; Arjuna’s Devadatta and the Traigarta Rout

Chapter 17

Devanagari script

विहायैनं ततः पार्थस्त्रिगर्तान्‌ प्रत्ययाद्‌ बली । क्षुधित: क्षुद्विघातार्थ सिंहो मृगगणानिव

Transliteration

vihāyainaṃ tataḥ pārthas trigartān pratyayād balī | kṣudhitaḥ kṣud-vighātārthaṃ siṃho mṛga-gaṇān iva ||

Translation

સંજય બોલ્યો—ત્યારબાદ બલવાન પૃથાપુત્ર અર્જુન તેમને ત્યાં જ છોડીને ત્રિગર્તોની સામે આગળ વધ્યો; જેમ ભૂખ્યો સિંહ ભૂખ શમાવવા હરણોના ઝુંડ તરફ ધસી જાય તેમ.

Word by Word

• विहाय: having left/abandoning
• Type: Verb
• Root: विहा (धातु √हा उपसर्ग-वि)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• एनम्: him/this one
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रभव अव्यय)

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• त्रिगर्तान्: the Trigartas
• त्रिगर्तान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिगर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• प्रत्ययात्: from confidence/assurance (i.e., confidently)
• प्रत्ययात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• बली: strong, mighty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्षुधितः: hungry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधित (√क्षुध् + क्त)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• क्षुद्विघातार्थम्: for the purpose of removing hunger
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुद्विघातार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• सिंहः: a lion
• सिंहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• मृगगणान्: herds/groups of deer (animals)
• मृगगणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगगण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Trigartas
• Yudhiṣṭhira (implied by context: 'leaving him there')
• lion (simile)
• herd of deer (simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined prioritization in dharma-yuddha: a warrior may momentarily leave one responsibility to confront an urgent threat that endangers the larger mission. Arjuna’s lion-like focus symbolizes decisive action guided by duty rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna, after leaving Yudhiṣṭhira where he is, turns to face the Trigartas and advances upon them with great force, compared to a hungry lion charging a herd of deer.