Shloka 31

अभिमन्युविलापः (Abhimanyu-vilāpa) — Uttarā’s lament, observed and framed by Gandhārī

Devanagari script

द्रोणास्त्रशरसंकृत्तं शयानं रुधिरोक्षितम्‌ | विराटं वितुदन्त्येते गृध्रगोमायुवायसा:,द्रोणाचार्यके बाणोंसे छिन्न-भिन्न हो खूनसे लथपथ होकर रणभूमिमें पड़े हुए राजा विराटको ये गीध, गीदड़ और कौए नोच रहे हैं

Transliteration

dṛoṇāstraśarasaṃkṛttaṃ śayānaṃ rudhirokṣitam | virāṭaṃ vitudanty ete gṛdhragomāyuvāyasāḥ ||

Translation

Terkoyak dan remuk oleh anak panah senjata Droṇa, terbaring di medan laga dan bermandikan darah, Raja Virāṭa kini dicabik dan dipatuki oleh burung nasar, serigala hutan, dan gagak-gagak ini.

Word by Word

• द्रोणास्त्र-शर-संकृत्तम्: cut to pieces by the arrows of the Drona-weapon
• द्रोणास्त्र-शर-संकृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रोणास्त्र + शर + संकृत्त (कृदन्त, √कृत्/√कृ)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शयानम्: lying (down)
• शयानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शय (कृदन्त, √शी)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रुधिर-उक्षितम्: sprinkled/soaked with blood
• रुधिर-उक्षितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिर + उक्षित (कृदन्त, √उक्ष्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विराटम्: Virata (the king)
• विराटम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वितुदन्ति: they peck/tear at
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तुद् (वि-तुद्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गृध्र-गोमायु-वायसाः: vultures, jackals, and crows
• गृध्र-गोमायु-वायसाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृध्र + गोमायु + वायस
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Virāṭa
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Droṇa’s weapon (dṛoṇāstra)
• arrows (śara)
• vultures (gṛdhra)
• jackals (gomāyu)
• crows (vāyasa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the dehumanizing aftermath of war: status and valor cannot protect one from the indignities that follow death. It serves as an ethical reminder of war’s irreversible cost and the urgency of dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes King Virāṭa lying dead on the battlefield, his body mangled by Droṇa’s arrows and smeared with blood, while scavenging birds and animals—vultures, jackals, and crows—tear at him.