Shloka 15

अभिमन्यु-परिवेष्टनम्

Encirclement and Counterassault of Abhimanyu

Devanagari script

प्रवर्तमाने संग्रामे तस्मिन्नतिभयंकरे । द्रोणस्य मिषतो व्यूहं भित्वा प्राविशदार्जुनि:,वह अति भयंकर संग्राम चल ही रहा था कि द्रोणाचार्यके देखते-देखते अर्जुनकुमार अभिमन्यु व्यूह तोड़कर भीतर घुस गया

Transliteration

pravartamāne saṅgrāme tasminn atibhayaṅkare | droṇasya miṣato vyūhaṃ bhitvā prāviśad arjuniḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: As that exceedingly dreadful battle raged on, Arjuna’s son entered the formation after breaking it open—doing so even while Droṇa looked on. The moment underscores both the ferocity of the war and the perilous resolve of a young warrior who dares to pierce a guarded array in full view of its commander.

Word by Word

प्रवर्तमानेwhile (it was) going on

संग्रामेin the battle

तस्मिन्in that

अति-भयंकरेvery terrifying

द्रोणस्यof Drona

मिषतःwhile (he was) looking; before the eyes of

व्यूहम्battle-formation

भित्वाhaving broken (through)

प्राविशत्entered

अर्जुनिःArjuni (son/descendant of Arjuna; i.e., Abhimanyu)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Abhimanyu

Arjuna

vyūha (battle formation)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: valor and resolve can be admirable, yet they unfold within a terrifying conflict where strategic formations and commanders’ oversight intensify risk. It invites reflection on how courage operates amid dharma’s complexities on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

During a fierce battle, Abhimanyu (identified as Arjuna’s son) breaks through a military formation (vyūha) and enters it, doing so in Droṇa’s very sight—signaling a bold penetration of the enemy’s strategic array.