Shloka 16

Sātyaki-praveśaḥ and Duryodhana-saṃnipātaḥ

Sātyaki’s passage and Duryodhana’s mass engagement

Devanagari script

अन्धकारीकृते लोके द्रोणशैनेययो: शरै: । तयो: शीघ्रास्त्रविदुषोद्रोणसात्वतयोस्तदा

Transliteration

andhakārīkṛte loke droṇa-śaineyayor śaraiḥ | tayoḥ śīghrāstraviduṣo droṇa-sātvayayos tadā

Translation

ದ್ರೋಣ ಮತ್ತು ಶೈನೇಯರ ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ಲೋಕವೇ ಅಂಧಕಾರಗೊಂಡಾಗ, ಆಗ ಶೀಘ್ರಾಸ್ತ್ರವಿದ್ಯೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಪುಣರಾದ ದ್ರೋಣ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾತ್ವತ (ಸಾತ್ಯಕಿ) ಆ ಸಮರವನ್ನು ಇನ್ನೂ ತೀವ್ರವಾಗಿ ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಿದರು.

Word by Word

अन्धकारीकृतेwhen (the world) was darkened

लोकेin the world

द्रोणof Droṇa

शैनेययोःof Śaineya (Sātyaki), (and/or) of the son of Śini

शरैःwith arrows

तयोःof those two

शीघ्रswift(ly) / quick

अस्त्रविदुषोःof the two experts in weapons

द्रोणof Droṇa

सात्वतयोःof the two Sātvatas (Vṛṣṇis) / of Sātyaki (as Sātvata)

तदाthen

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

द

द्रोण (Droṇa)

श

शैनेय / सात्यकि (Śaineya/Sātyaki)

स

सात्वत (Sātvata—epithet for Sātyaki)

श

शर (arrows)

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 how the intensity of conflict and the display of weapon-skill can metaphorically ‘darken the world’—suggesting that unchecked martial prowess and anger can obscure moral clarity (dharma) even among the highly trained.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a fierce exchange of arrows between Droṇa and Śaineya (Sātyaki). Their rapid, expertly deployed missiles fill the battlefield so densely that it appears darkened, signaling the battle’s escalation.