Shloka 3

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 49: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Strategic Foreboding after Abhimanyu’s Fall

Devanagari script

महारथस्तत: कार्ष्णि: संजग्राह महागदाम्‌,तब महारथी अभिमन्युने एक विशाल गदा हाथमें ले ली। शत्रुओंने उसे धनुष, रथ, खड्ग और चक्रसे भी वंचित कर दिया था। इसलिये गदा हाथमें लिये हुए अभिमन्युने अश्वत्थामापर धावा किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | mahārathas tataḥ kārṣṇiḥ sañjagrāha mahāgadām | tato mahārathī abhimanyunā eka viśālā gadā hastam̐ le lī | śatrubhiḥ sa dhanuḥ-ratha-khaḍga-cakraiḥ api vañcitaḥ | tasmāt gadā-pāṇir abhimanyuḥ aśvatthāmānam upari dhāvata |

Translation

Sanjaya said: Then the great warrior, Abhimanyu—descendant of Kṛṣṇa’s line—seized a mighty mace. Deprived by his enemies of bow, chariot, sword, and discus-like weaponry, he chose the mace as his remaining means of resistance. With the mace in hand, Abhimanyu charged straight at Aśvatthāmā, embodying the kṣatriya ethic of steadfast courage even when stripped of customary arms.

Word by Word

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

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कार्ष्णिः: the descendant of Kṛṣṇa (Kārṣṇi)
• कार्ष्णिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्ष्णि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संजग्राह: seized/took up
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ग्रह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महागदाम्: a great mace
• महागदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महागदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Aśvatthāmā
• mace (gadā)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• chariot (ratha)
• sword (khaḍga)
• discus/wheel-weapon (cakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma: when conventional supports and weapons are taken away, one should still uphold duty with courage and presence of mind, choosing whatever righteous means remain rather than collapsing into despair.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Abhimanyu, having been deprived of multiple weapons and even his chariot, taking up a heavy mace and charging toward Aśvatthāmā, continuing the fight despite severe disadvantage.