Shloka 30

Devanagari script

स्पर्थते हि महेष्वासो नित्यं द्रोणसुतेन सः । स विस्फार्य महच्चापं द्रौणिं विव्याध पत्रिणा

Transliteration

spardhate hi maheṣvāso nityaṃ droṇasutena saḥ | sa visphārya mahaccāpaṃ drauṇiṃ vivyādha patriṇā ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。その大弓の使い手は、常にドローナの子と競い合っていた。彼は大弓をいっぱいに引き絞り、羽根ある矢でドローニを射貫いた。

Word by Word

• स्पर्धते: competes, contends
• स्पर्धते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पर्ध्
• Form: Lat (Present), 3, Singular, Atmanepada

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• महेष्वासः: the great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• द्रोणसुतेन: with Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रोणसुतेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणसुत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

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

• विस्फार्य: having stretched (twanged)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विस्फारय् (वि+स्फारय्)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Atmanepada-neutral (absolutive)

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्रौणिम्: Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (वि+व्यध्)
• Form: Lan (Imperfect), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पत्रिणा: with an arrow (feathered one)
• पत्रिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman, Drauṇi)
• mighty bow (mahaccāpa)
• feathered arrow (patriṇ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how rivalry (spardhā) and personal antagonism can intensify violence in war: even when fighting is framed as kṣatriya-duty, inner motives like pride and competition shape actions and can deepen the ethical strain of the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a renowned archer, continually competing with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), fully draws his great bow and strikes Aśvatthāman with a feathered arrow.