Mahabharata 7.25.51 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 25, Shloka 51

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance

Devanagari script

वार्थक्षेमिं तु वा्ष्णेयं कृप: शारद्वत: शरै: । अक्षुद्र: क्षुद्रकैदोणात्‌ क्रुद्धसबज-्पजमवारयत्‌

Transliteration

vārthakṣemiṁ tu vārṣṇeyaṁ kṛpaḥ śāradvataḥ śaraiḥ | akṣudraḥ kṣudrakair droṇāt kruddhaḥ saṁyugam āvārayat ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。「ついでシャーラドヴァタの子クリパは、怯まず揺るがぬ心で、ヴリシュニ族のヴァールタクシェーミを矢の雨で押しとどめた。武器の激突のただ中、怒りに燃えつつ、彼をドローナのもとへ近づけなかった。」

Word by Word

• वार्थक्षेमिम्: Vārthakṣemi (a Vr̥ṣṇi hero)
• वार्थक्षेमिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्थक्षेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वृष्णेयम्: Vr̥ṣṇi-descended
• वृष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृष्णेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृपः: Kr̥pa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शारद्वतः: son of Śaradvat
• शारद्वतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अक्षुद्रः: not mean; noble
• अक्षुद्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षुद्रकर्माणम्: one of petty deeds
• क्षुद्रकर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्रकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणात्: from/away from Droṇa
• द्रोणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• क्रुद्धम्: enraged
• क्रुद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त; √क्रुध्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समुपस्थितम्: approaching/come near
• समुपस्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुपस्थित (कृदन्त; √स्था with सम्+उप)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अवारयत्: checked/warded off/prevented
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (वारणे) / अव-√वृ
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Śaradvat
• Vārthakṣemi
• Vṛṣṇi lineage (Vārṣṇeya)
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the heat of battle, effectiveness is tied to disciplined action: Kṛpa’s ‘not petty’ steadiness contrasts with his anger, implying that righteous warfare demands control, tactical clarity, and purposeful restraint rather than reckless rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Kṛpa Śāradvata, fighting for the Kauravas, shoots arrows to block the Vṛṣṇi warrior Vārthakṣemi and prevents him from advancing toward Droṇācārya.