Mahabharata 7.21.4 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 4

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

यह देख सत्यपराक्रमी शूरवीर सत्यजित्‌ युधिष्ठिरकी रक्षाके लिये द्रोणाचार्यपर टूट पड़ा ३ ।।

Transliteration

tad dṛṣṭvā satya-parākramaḥ śūra-vīraḥ satyajit yudhiṣṭhirasya rakṣāyai droṇācāryeṇa saha samabhidudrāva | tata ācārya-pāñcālyau yuyudhāte mahā-balau | vikṣobhayantau tat sainyam indra-vairocanāv iva ||

Translation

આ દૃશ્ય જોઈ સત્યપરાક્રમી શૂરવીર સત્યજિત્ યુધિષ્ઠિરની રક્ષા માટે દ્રોણાચાર્ય પર સહસા તૂટી પડ્યો. ત્યારબાદ આચાર્ય અને પાંચાલરાજકુમાર—બન્ને મહાબલી—ઇન્દ્ર અને વિરોચન જેવી રીતે તે સેનાને ઉથલપાથલ કરતાં પરસ્પર ઘોર યુદ્ધ કરવા લાગ્યા.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• आचार्य: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्य: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाञ्चाल्यौ: the two Panchalas (Panchala princes)
• पाञ्चाल्यौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• युयुधाते: they two fought
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual, Ātmanepada

• महाबलौ: very strong (both)
• महाबलौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• विक्षोभयन्तौ: shaking/agitating
• विक्षोभयन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-क्षोभय्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इन्द्र: Indra
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वैरोचनौ: the two sons of Virocana (as a comparison; i.e., like Indra and Bali/Vairocana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरोचन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Satyajit
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Pāñcāla prince (Pāñcālya)
• Indra
• Virocana
• the army (sainyam)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma as protective duty: valor is ethically directed toward guarding a rightful leader (Yudhiṣṭhira). Even amid violent conflict, the narrative frames heroism as service and protection rather than aggression for its own sake.

What is happening in the narrative?

Satyajit charges at Droṇa to shield Yudhiṣṭhira. Immediately after, Droṇa and the Pāñcāla prince clash powerfully, their duel disturbing and scattering the surrounding troops, compared to a mythic confrontation between Indra and Virocana.