Shloka 56

द्रोणपुत्रस्याग्नेयास्त्रप्रयोगः — अर्जुनस्य ब्राह्मास्त्रप्रतिघातः — व्यासोपदेशः

Aśvatthāmā’s Agneyāstra, Arjuna’s Brāhmāstra Counter, and Vyāsa’s Instruction

Devanagari script

सौभद्रवदिमौ वीरौ परिवार्य महारथी

Transliteration

saubhadra-vad imau vīrau parivārya mahārathī

Translation

Sañjaya said: Those two heroes, mighty chariot-warriors, surrounded Saubhadra and pressed in upon him—an image of valor tested by overwhelming force amid the harsh ethics of battlefield duty.

Word by Word

• सौभद्रवत्: like Abhimanyu (son of Subhadrā)
• सौभद्रवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौभद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• इमौ: these two
• इमौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वीरौ: two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• परिवार्य: having surrounded / encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√वृ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• महारथी: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• two mahārathīs (unnamed in this half-verse)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between valor and the brutal realities of war: even a righteous hero may face coordinated force. It invites reflection on kṣatriya-dharma—courage and steadfastness—while also raising ethical questions about collective assault against a single warrior.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that two elite chariot-warriors close in and surround Saubhadra (Abhimanyu), indicating a tactical encirclement and intensification of the combat against him.