Mahabharata 7.13.4 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 4

Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)

Devanagari script

अब्रवीद्‌ धर्मराजस्तु धनंजयमिदं वच: । श्रुतं ते पुरुषव्याप्र द्रोणस्याद्य चिकीर्षितम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

abravīd dharmarājas tu dhanañjayam idaṃ vacaḥ |

śrutaṃ te puruṣavyāghra droṇasyādya cikīrṣitam |

āptair āśu parijñātaṃ bhāradvāja-cikīrṣitam ||

Translation

サञ्जャヤは言った。「そこで法王（ユディシュティラ）はダナञ्जャヤ（アルジュナ）にこう告げた。『人中の虎よ、ドローナが今日何を企てているか、そなたはすでに聞いていよう。信頼できる密偵によって、バーラドヴァージャの子の目的は速やかに突き止められた。』」

Word by Word

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• धर्मराजः: Dharmaraja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• धनंजयम्: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुतम्: heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ते: by you/your
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• पुरुषव्याघ्र: O tiger among men
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• द्रोणस्य: of Droṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• चिकीर्षितम्: intended act/what is intended to be done
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → चिकीर्षित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (PPP; intended/desired to be done), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आप्तैः: by trusted (agents/men)
• आप्तैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• परिज्ञातम्: ascertained/fully known
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) → परि-ज्ञा → परिज्ञात (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भारद्वाजचिकीर्षितम्: the intended act of Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारद्वाजचिकीर्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Droṇa
• Bhāradvāja (as Droṇa’s lineage-identifier)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, righteous leadership relies on timely knowledge and trustworthy counsel. Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic prudence is shown in verifying the enemy’s intent through reliable sources before directing action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Arjuna, noting that Droṇa’s plan for the day has been heard and, through trusted informants, clearly confirmed—setting up the Pāṇḍavas’ response to Droṇa’s strategy.