Shloka 416

Devanagari script

शक्ति कनकवैदूर्या द्रोणश्रिच्छेद सायकै: । यह देख द्रोणाचार्यने तीखे भल्लोंसे उन दसों तोमरोंको काटकर अपने बाणोंके द्वारा सुवर्ण एवं वैदूर्यमणिसे विभूषित उस शक्तिके भी टुकड़े-टुकड़े कर डाले

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śaktiṃ kanakavaidūryāṃ droṇaś chinna-sāyakaiḥ | yad dṛṣṭvā droṇācāryaḥ tīkṣṇair bhallaiḥ tān daśa tomārān chittvā sva-bāṇaiḥ suvarṇa-vaidūrya-vibhūṣitāṃ tāṃ śaktim api khaṇḍa-khaṇḍaṃ cakāra |

Translation

サञ्जयは語った。黄金とヴァイドゥーリヤ（vaidūrya）の宝石で飾られたシャクティの槍は、ドローナの矢に撃たれて断ち切られた。これを見たドローナाचार्यは、剃刀のごとく鋭いバッラ（bhalla）の矢でまず十本の投槍を切り落とし、さらに自らの矢で、その金玉をちりばめたシャクティの槍そのものをも粉々に砕いて多くの破片とした。この場面は、戦の冷酷な精密さを示す。華麗な武器も高価な装飾も、技と決意が破壊へ向けられるとき、たちまち無意味となるのだ。

Word by Word

शक्तिम्the spear/weapon (śakti)

कनक-वैदूर्याम्adorned with gold and vaidūrya (cat’s-eye gem)

द्रोण-शिरः-च्छेद-सायकैःwith arrows meant for cutting off Droṇa’s head

ददर्शsaw

यःwho

द्रोणाचार्यःDroṇācārya

तीक्ष्णैःwith sharp

भल्लैःbarbed arrows

तान्those

दशten

तोमरान्javelins/spears

चिच्छेदcut (to pieces)

स्वैःwith his own

बाणैःarrows

सुवर्ण-वैदूर्य-विभूषिताम्adorned with gold and vaidūrya

ताम्that (weapon)

अपिalso/even

चिच्छेदcut (to pieces)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇācārya (Droṇa)

śakti (spear weapon)

tomara (javelins)

bhalla (arrows)

sāyaka (arrows)

kanaka (gold)

vaidūrya (gem)

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 the harsh ethic of battlefield reality: outward magnificence (gold and gems) offers no protection, and in war, trained mastery and decisive action can reduce even prized instruments of power to fragments—inviting reflection on the futility of pride in material splendor amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa, using sharp bhalla arrows, cuts down ten incoming javelins and then shatters an ornate spear (śakti) decorated with gold and vaidūrya gems, demonstrating his superior archery and control in the ongoing battle.