Shloka 16

Sātyaki-praveśaḥ and Duryodhana-saṃnipātaḥ

Sātyaki’s passage and Duryodhana’s mass engagement

Devanagari script

अन्धकारीकृते लोके द्रोणशैनेययो: शरै: । तयो: शीघ्रास्त्रविदुषोद्रोणसात्वतयोस्तदा

Transliteration

andhakārīkṛte loke droṇa-śaineyayor śaraiḥ | tayoḥ śīghrāstraviduṣo droṇa-sātvayayos tadā

Translation

द्रोण और शैनेय के बाणों से जब संसार अंधकारमय हो गया, तब शीघ्रास्त्र-प्रवीण द्रोण और सात्वत (सात्यकि) उन दोनों ने उसी वेग से संग्राम को आगे बढ़ाया।

Word by Word

अन्धकारीकृतेwhen (the world) was darkened

लोकेin the world

द्रोणof Droṇa

शैनेययोःof Śaineya (Sātyaki), (and/or) of the son of Śini

शरैःwith arrows

तयोःof those two

शीघ्रswift(ly) / quick

अस्त्रविदुषोःof the two experts in weapons

द्रोणof Droṇa

सात्वतयोःof the two Sātvatas (Vṛṣṇis) / of Sātyaki (as Sātvata)

तदाthen

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

द

द्रोण (Droṇa)

श

शैनेय / सात्यकि (Śaineya/Sātyaki)

स

सात्वत (Sātvata—epithet for Sātyaki)

श

शर (arrows)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the intensity of conflict and the display of weapon-skill can metaphorically ‘darken the world’—suggesting that unchecked martial prowess and anger can obscure moral clarity (dharma) even among the highly trained.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a fierce exchange of arrows between Droṇa and Śaineya (Sātyaki). Their rapid, expertly deployed missiles fill the battlefield so densely that it appears darkened, signaling the battle’s escalation.