Shloka 133

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

द्रोणमेवा भ्यवर्तन्त पुरस्कृत्य शिखण्डिनम्‌ । प्रहार करनेमें कुशल छ: हजार प्रभद्रक और पांचाल योद्धा भी शिखण्डीको आगे करके द्रोणाचार्यपर ही चढ़ आये

Transliteration

droṇam evābhyavartanta puraskṛtya śikhaṇḍinam | prahāra-karaṇe kuśalāḥ ṣaṭ-sahasrāḥ prabhadrakāḥ pāñcālā yoddhā api śikhaṇḍinaṃ agre kṛtvā droṇācāryam eva cāḍhāyayan |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Dengan menempatkan Śikhaṇḍin di barisan depan, mereka maju lurus menyerbu Droṇa. Enam ribu Prabhadraka yang mahir menghantam, beserta para kesatria Pañcāla, juga menaruh Śikhaṇḍin di muka lalu menerjang Droṇācārya.

Word by Word

• द्रोणम्: Drona (as the object/target)
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभ्यवर्तन्त: they advanced/turned towards (attacked)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृत्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पुरस्कृत्य: having placed in front / having put forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस्-√कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Active

• शिखण्डिनम्: Shikhandin
• शिखण्डिनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखण्डिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Prabhadrakas
• Pāñcāla warriors

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension: victory in war often depends on exploiting an opponent’s dharmic limits. Droṇa’s moral hesitation regarding Śikhaṇḍin becomes a strategic vulnerability, raising ethical questions about whether tactical necessity can justify morally ambiguous means.

What is happening in the narrative?

The Pāṇḍava-aligned forces—six thousand Prabhadrakas along with Pāñcāla warriors—advance directly on Droṇa, deliberately placing Śikhaṇḍin at the front. This formation is meant to blunt Droṇa’s resistance and enable a concentrated assault on him.