Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विषण्णवदनश्चापि युयुधानो5भवन्नूप । भारद्वाजं रणे दृष्टवा विसृजन्तं शितान्‌ शरान्‌

Transliteration

viṣaṇṇavadanaś cāpi yuyudhāno 'bhavan nṛpa | bhāradvājaṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā visṛjantaṃ śitān śarān ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O king, Yuyudhāna too became downcast in countenance when, on the battlefield, he saw Bhāradvāja relentlessly releasing sharp arrows. The sight of that fierce, unceasing archery weighed upon him, revealing how even the valiant can be shaken when confronted with overwhelming martial prowess and the grim momentum of war.

Word by Word

• विषण्णवदनः: having a dejected face
• विषण्णवदनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण-वदन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• युयुधानः: Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• युयुधानः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युयुधान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभवत्: became / was
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• नृप: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भारद्वाजम्: Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)
• भारद्वाजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारद्वाज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral

• विसृजन्तम्: releasing / discharging
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शितान्: sharp
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the psychological and ethical weight of warfare: even renowned warriors may falter inwardly when faced with relentless violence. It implicitly underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between kṣatriya duty and the human cost of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna) becomes visibly dejected upon seeing Droṇa (called Bhāradvāja) in the thick of battle, continuously shooting sharp arrows—an image of Droṇa’s overwhelming martial dominance at that moment.