Shloka 16

Aśvatthāmā’s Lamentation, Vow of Retaliation, and the Manifestation of the Nārāyaṇāstra (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६६)

Devanagari script

यो ददाह शरैद्रोण: पञ्चालानां रथव्रजान्‌ | धूमकेतुरिव क्रुद्ध: कथं मृत्युमुपेयिवान्‌,जिन आचार्य द्रोणने क्रोधमें भरे हुए अग्निदेवके समान अपने बाणोंकी ज्वालासे पांचाल महारथियोंके समुदायोंकों जलाकर भस्म कर दिया था, वे कैसे मृत्युको प्राप्त हुए?

Transliteration

yo dadāha śarair droṇaḥ pañcālānāṁ rathavrajān | dhūmaketur iva kruddhaḥ kathaṁ mṛtyum upeyivān |

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「怒りに燃える彗星のごとく、矢でパンチャーラの戦車隊を焼き払ったドローナが、いかにして死に至ったのか。」

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ददाह: burned
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रोणः: Droṇa
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पञ्चालानाम्: of the Pāñcālas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रथव्रजान्: troops/hosts of chariots (chariot-squadrons)
• रथव्रजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथव्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धूमकेतुः: a comet / smoke-bannered fire
• धूमकेतुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूमकेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• क्रुद्धः: enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृध्-धातुज कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपेयिवान्: has gone to / attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-इ (धातु) → उपेयिवस् (कृदन्त, लिट्-कृदन्त/परिप्रासिक past active participle)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Pāñcālas
• arrows (śara)
• chariot-hosts/formations (rathavraja)
• dhūmaketu (comet, simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the mightiest warrior, capable of ‘burning’ armies through skill and wrath, remains subject to mortality; the verse foregrounds the ethical and existential tension of war—power and prowess do not exempt one from the consequences of fate, time, and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, expresses astonishment and prompts inquiry: despite Droṇa’s devastating prowess against the Pāñcālas, how did such a formidable commander end up meeting death?