Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तं द्रोण: साश्चयन्तारं सरथध्वजमाशुगै:

Transliteration

taṃ droṇaḥ sāśvayantāraṃ sarathadhvajam āśugaiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Droṇa, seeing him with his swift horses and his chariot marked by its banner, assailed him with rapid, keen-flying arrows—pressing the attack in the thick of battle.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स: he
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अश्वयन्तारम्: the horse-driver (charioteer)
• अश्वयन्तारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वयन्तृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सरथध्वजम्: with chariot and banner (standard)
• सरथध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सरथध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आशुगैः: with swift (arrows)
• आशुगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशुग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• horses (aśva)
• arrows (āśuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless momentum of battle and the kṣatriya ethos of direct engagement: a commander like Droṇa acts decisively, using skill and speed, illustrating how martial duty is executed amid the moral weight of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa targets a particular warrior, identified by his chariot, banner, and horses, and strikes at him with swift arrows—signaling an intense exchange and a focused assault within the larger Kurukṣetra conflict.