Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततोअस्मै प्राहिणोद्‌ द्रोण: शरानधिकविंशतिम्‌ । अप्राप्तांश्वैव तान्‌ पार्थश्रचिच्छेद कृतहस्तवत्‌,तब आचार्य द्रोणने अर्जुनपर इक्कीस बाण चलाये; किंतु पार्थने उन सबको पास आनेसे पहले ही काट गिराया, मानो उनके हाथ इस कलामें पूर्ण सुशिक्षित थे

Transliteration

tato ’smai prāhiṇod droṇaḥ śarān adhika-viṁśatim | aprāptāṁś caiva tān pārthaś ciccheda kṛta-hastavat ||

Translation

Lalu Droṇa melepaskan lebih dari dua puluh anak panah ke arahnya. Namun Pārtha menebas semuanya sebelum sempat mencapai sasaran, seakan tangannya telah sempurna terlatih dalam seni itu.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अस्मैto him

प्राहिणोत्sent, discharged

द्रोणःDroṇa

शरान्arrows

अधिक-विंशतिम्more than twenty (i.e., twenty-one)

अप्राप्तान्not yet reached (him)

एवindeed, just

तान्those (arrows)

पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)

चिच्छेदcut (them) down

कृत-हस्तवत्like one with a trained/skillful hand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇa

Pārtha (Arjuna)

arrows (śara)

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?

The verse highlights disciplined mastery (abhyāsa and saṁyama) in action: true excellence in battle is shown not by uncontrolled aggression but by precise, timely skill—suggesting an ethical ideal of controlled power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa releases a volley of over twenty arrows at Arjuna; Arjuna intercepts and cuts them down before they can reach him, demonstrating superior reflexes and consummate training.