Shloka 9

Śaineya–Bhūriśravas: Genealogy, Svayaṃvara Contest, and the Maheśvara Boon

Devanagari script

समुत्पतन्ति वल्मीकाद्‌ यथा क्ुद्धा महोरगा: । तथा द्रोणरथाद्‌ राजन्नापतन्ति तनुच्छिद:

Transliteration

samutpatanti valmīkād yathā kruddhā mahoragāḥ | tathā droṇarathād rājann āpatanti tanucchidaḥ ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「王よ、怒れる大蛇が蟻塚から跳ね上がるように、ドローナの戦車からは、身を貫く矢弾が次々と飛び出して突進してくる。」

Word by Word

समुत्पतन्तिthey leap up / spring forth

वल्मीकात्from an anthill

यथाas / just as

क्रुद्धाःangered

महोरगाःgreat serpents

तथाso / in the same way

द्रोणरथात्from Drona's chariot

राजन्O king

आपतन्तिthey rush down / fall upon

तनुच्छिदःbody-cutters (those who cut bodies; i.e., sharp arrows/weapons)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

Droṇa

Droṇa’s chariot

valmīka (anthill)

mahoraga (great serpents)

tanucchidaḥ (body-piercing missiles/weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unleashed martial force can become terrifying and overwhelming—like enraged serpents erupting from an anthill. Ethically, it underscores the peril inherent in war: power and anger, once set in motion, rapidly turn into indiscriminate instruments of harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that from Droṇa’s chariot missiles are surging forth in great numbers and with deadly effect, compared to furious serpents bursting out of an anthill—signaling Droṇa’s fierce onslaught in the battle.