Mahabharata 7.21.23 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 23

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

उस महाबली महारथी पांचाल वीरके मारे जानेपर युधिष्ठिर द्रोणाचार्यसे अत्यन्त भयभीत हो गये और वेगशाली घोड़ोंसे जुते हुए रथके द्वारा युद्धस्थलसे दूर चले गये ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

tasmin mahābali-mahārathe pāñcāla-vīre hate yudhiṣṭhiro droṇācāryād atyanta-bhayabhīto 'bhavat, vegavaddhir aśvair yuktena rathena ca raṇabhūmim apakrāntavān dūram ||

pāñcālāḥ kekayā matsyāś cedi-kārūṣa-kośalāḥ |

yudhiṣṭhiram abhīpsanto dṛṣṭvā droṇam upādravan ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Ketika pahlawan Pāñcāla yang perkasa itu—seorang maharatha—telah gugur, Yudhiṣṭhira menjadi sangat takut kepada Droṇa dan menarik diri jauh dari medan laga dengan kereta yang ditarik kuda-kuda cepat. Lalu, demi melindungi Yudhiṣṭhira, para kesatria Pāñcāla, Kekaya, Matsya, Cedi, Kārūṣa, dan Kośala, begitu melihat Droṇa, segera menyerbunya.

Word by Word

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• केकयाः: the Kekayas
• केकयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मत्स्याः: the Matsyas
• मत्स्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• चेदिकाः: the Cedis
• चेदिकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदिक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कारूषाः: the Karushas
• कारूषाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारूष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कोसलाः: the Kosalas
• कोसलाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• युधिष्ठिरम्: Yudhishthira (as object/target)
• युधिष्ठिरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभीप्सन्तः: desiring (to reach/attack)
• अभीप्सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-ईप्स्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपाद्रवन्: they rushed/attacked
• उपाद्रवन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√द्रु (द्रव्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Pāñcāla warriors
• Kekaya warriors
• Matsya warriors
• Cedi warriors
• Kārūṣa warriors
• Kośala warriors
• Chariot (ratha)
• Horses (aśva)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights the ethical tension of kingship in war: even a righteous ruler like Yudhiṣṭhira can be shaken by fear when confronted with overwhelming force, yet the duty of allied warriors is to uphold protection and solidarity, placing the safety of the leader and the cause above personal risk.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a prominent Pāñcāla chariot-hero is killed, Yudhiṣṭhira retreats from the battlefield out of fear of Droṇa. Seeing Droṇa and intent on safeguarding Yudhiṣṭhira, multiple allied contingents—Pāñcālas, Kekayas, Matsyas, Cedis, Kārūṣas, and Kośalas—charge at Droṇa.