Shloka 163

Devanagari script

ततो मुमोच नाराचान्‌ द्रौणिस्तांश्व॒ सहस्रशः | तावप्यग्निशिखप्रख्यैर्जघ्नतुस्तस्य मार्गणान्‌,तब अभश्वत्थामाने भी उनपर सहस्रों नाराच चलाये। धृष्टद्युम्म और घटोत्कचने भी अग्निशिखाके समान तेजस्वी बाणोंद्वारा अश्वत्थामाके नाराचोंको काट डाला

Transliteration

tato mumoca nārācān drauṇis tāñ śata-sahasraśaḥ | tāv apy agni-śikhā-prakhyair jaghnatus tasya mārgānān ||

Translation

संजय बोले—तब द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामा ने उन पर सहस्रों नाराच छोड़े; परन्तु उन दोनों ने अग्निशिखा के समान तेजस्वी बाणों से उसके प्रक्षेपास्त्रों को काट गिराया।

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

मुमोचreleased, discharged

नाराचान्iron arrows (nārācas)

द्रौणिःDrauṇi (Aśvatthāman, son of Droṇa)

तान्those

चand

सहस्रशःby thousands, in thousands

तौthose two (Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Ghaṭotkaca)

अपिalso, even

अग्नि-शिखा-प्रख्यैःwith (arrows) resembling a flame-tongue of fire

जघ्नतुःstruck down, destroyed

तस्यof him (Aśvatthāman)

मार्गणान्arrows, missiles

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi)

Dhṛṣṭadyumna

Ghaṭotkaca

nārāca 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?

Even in a violent setting, the episode highlights disciplined agency: skilled warriors are expected to counter a harmful barrage effectively, limiting damage to the wider force. Martial excellence here functions as a form of responsibility—checking excess destruction rather than letting it spread.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāman unleashes massive volleys of nārāca arrows. Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Ghaṭotkaca respond by cutting down those incoming missiles with blazing, fire-like arrows, neutralizing the attack mid-flight.