Shloka 316

Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption

Devanagari script

समरे5मरसंकाश: सौभद्रो न व्यशीर्यत । कर्णके द्वारा उसकी अस्त्रवर्षसे पीड़ित होनेपर भी देवतुल्य अभिमन्यु समरभूमिमें शिथिल नहीं हुआ

Transliteration

samare ’marasankāśaḥ saubhadro na vyaśīryata | karṇakṛtair astravarṣaiḥ pīḍyamāno ’pi devatulyo ’bhimanyur raṇabhūmau śithilo na babhūva ||

Translation

サञ्जयは語った。戦のただ中で、スバドラの子—不死者のごとく輝く者—は少しも怯まなかった。カルナが放つ武器の雨に苦しめられても、神にも比すべき勇を備えたアビマンニュは、戦場で決して弛まなかった。この詩句は、圧倒的な力の下でも揺るがぬ胆力を讃え、混沌たる戦の中での忍耐と決意を、武人の倫理の理想として示している。

Word by Word

समरेin battle

अमरसंकाशःresembling an immortal (god-like)

सौभद्रःthe son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)

नnot

व्यशीर्यतdid not falter / did not become slack / did not break down

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Abhimanyu (Saubhadra)

Subhadrā

Karṇa

battlefield (raṇabhūmi)

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 elevates steadfastness under pressure as a warrior’s virtue: even when struck by overwhelming force, one should not abandon resolve or duty. It frames courage as disciplined endurance rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu on the battlefield enduring Karṇa’s intense barrage of missiles. Despite being severely harried, Abhimanyu remains unshaken and continues to fight with godlike composure.