Shloka 17

अभिमन्योर् दारुणः संमर्दः

Abhimanyu’s fierce melee amid chariot formations

Devanagari script

सौभद्रेण हतै: पूर्व सोत्तरायोधिभिर्दिपै: । पाण्डूनां दर्शित: पन्था: सैन्धवेन निवारित:

Transliteration

saubhadreṇa hataiḥ pūrvaṃ sottarāyodhibhir dvipaiḥ | pāṇḍūnāṃ darśitaḥ panthāḥ saindhavena nivāritaḥ ||

Translation

पहले सौभद्र (अभिमन्यु) ने सारथियों सहित जो हाथी मारे थे, उनसे पाण्डवों के लिए मार्ग प्रकट हो गया था; पर उसी मार्ग को सैन्धव (जयद्रथ) ने रोक दिया।

Word by Word

सौभद्रेणby (Abhimanyu), son of Subhadrā

हतैःby the slain (ones)

पूर्वम्formerly / earlier

स-उत्तर-अयोधिभिःby the warriors with their leaders (lit. with the 'uttara'/chiefs)

दीपैःby lamps / lights

पाण्डूनाम्of the Pāṇḍavas

दर्शितःshown / indicated

पन्थाःpath / way

सैन्धवेनby the Sindhu-king (Jayadratha)

निवारितःblocked / prevented

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)

Pāṇḍavas

Saindhava (Jayadratha)

elephants

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?

In war, openings created by valor and sacrifice can be swiftly nullified by counter-strategy; the verse highlights how individual heroism (Abhimanyu’s clearing of a way) must contend with deliberate obstruction (Jayadratha’s blocking), underscoring the ethical tension between righteous aim and tactical resistance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Abhimanyu has earlier cut down elephants and their riders, creating a clear passage for the Pāṇḍavas’ forces. Jayadratha, the Sindhu prince, then prevents the Pāṇḍavas from using that route, halting their advance.