Shloka 33

Saubhadra under Concentrated Assault; Pārṣata’s Intervention and Escalation

Devanagari script

यदेनं शरवर्षेण वारयामास पार्षतम्‌ | न शशाक ततो गन्तुं बलवानपि संयुगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | yad enaṃ śaravarṣeṇa vārayāmāsa pārṣatam | na śaśāka tato gantuṃ balavān api saṃyuge |

Translation

Ketika ia menahan Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna) dengan hujan anak panah, Dhṛṣṭadyumna tak mampu maju lebih jauh; maka, meski perkasa, di tengah desakan perang ia tak dapat mencapai Droṇācārya.

Word by Word

• यत्: which/that (fact)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (एतद्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शर-वर्षेण: by a shower of arrows
• शर-वर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वारयामास: stopped/checked
• वारयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (णिच्) / वृ (caus.)
• Form: Perfect (Periphrastic), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्षतम्: the son of Pṛṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• शशाक: was able
• शशाक: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• गन्तुम्: to go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Tumun (infinitive)

• बलवान्: strong/mighty
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: even/though
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārṣata (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• Droṇācārya
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In warfare, strength alone does not ensure success; disciplined skill, timing, and tactical restraint can decisively limit an opponent’s agency. The verse highlights how outcomes in righteous combat are shaped by capability and method, not merely by desire or valor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Dhṛṣṭadyumna (called Pārṣata) is halted by a dense volley of arrows and cannot push forward; consequently, despite his power, he fails to reach Droṇācārya amid the battle.