Shloka 536

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९

Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces

Devanagari script

द्रोणपुत्रं पुरस्कृत्य तच्छीघ्र॑ं संनिषुदय । “वीर! द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाको आगे करके एक-दूसरेके द्वारा सुरक्षित यह सेना तुमपर आक्रमण कर रही है। तुम शीघ्र ही इसका संहार कर डालो

Transliteration

droṇaputraṁ puraskṛtya tacchīghraṁ saṁniṣūdaya

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「ドローナの子アシュヴァッターマを先頭に立て、この軍は互いに庇い合いながら、汝を討たんと疾駆して来る。ためらわず速やかに打ち、滅ぼせ。」

Word by Word

द्रोणपुत्रम्Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)

पुरस्कृत्यhaving put in front

तत्that (him/it)

शीघ्रम्quickly

संनिषुदयstrike down / destroy

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇaputra (Aśvatthāman)

army (senā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of decisive action: when an enemy advances in a tightly protected formation under a powerful champion, a warrior is expected to respond swiftly and effectively. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma where delay can endanger one’s side and is treated as a lapse in duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a tactical situation: the opposing force advances with Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman at the front, the troops protecting each other as they attack. The addressed warrior is urged to quickly crush this oncoming, well-guarded army.