Shloka 53

Droṇa Encircled at Night: Coalition Advance and Battlefield Omens (द्रोणपर्यावरणं रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

साश्वसूतध्वजं यान॑ द्रोणस्यापोथयत्‌ तदा

Transliteration

sāśvasūtadhvajaṃ yānaṃ droṇasyāpothayat tadā

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະກ່າວວ່າ: ໃນຂະນະນັ້ນ ລາວໄດ້ຟາດລົງລົດຮົບຂອງໂດຣະນະ—ພ້ອມທັງມ້າ ສາລະທີ ແລະທຸງ—ເຮັດໃຫ້ແຮງກະແສອັນໂຫດຮ້າຍຂອງສົງຄາມທະວີຂຶ້ນ ເຖິງຂັ້ນທີ່ເຄື່ອງໝາຍແຫ່ງອໍານາດຂອງອາຈານໃຫຍ່ກໍຖືກທໍາລາຍຢ່າງຮຸນແຮງ.

Word by Word

• साश्वसूतध्वजम्: the chariot with horses, charioteer, and banner
• साश्वसूतध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: साश्वसूतध्वज
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यानम्: vehicle; chariot
• यानम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणस्य: of Droṇa
• द्रोणस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अपोथयत्: struck down; overthrew; shattered
• अपोथयत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + उथ् (पोथयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तदा: then; at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇa’s chariot
• horses
• charioteer (sūta)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war dismantles even revered authority: a great teacher’s martial insignia—chariot, horses, charioteer, and banner—can be brought down in an instant. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of conflict and the fragility of worldly status amid adharma-driven violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa’s chariot is struck down, including its horses, charioteer, and standard. The image signals a decisive blow against Droṇa’s battlefield position and the disruption of his command presence during the fighting.