Mahabharata 7.177.356 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 177, Shloka 356

Devanagari script

रक्षसां घोररूपाणां महत्या सेनया वृत:ः । वह तत्काल ही शूल, मुद्गर, शिलाखण्ड और वृक्ष हाथमें लिये हुए घोररूपधारी राक्षसोंकी विशाल सेनासे घिर गया

Transliteration

rakṣasāṃ ghorarūpāṇāṃ mahatyā senayā vṛtaḥ | sa tatkālaṃ hi śūla-mudgara-śilākhaṇḍa-vṛkṣa-hastaiḥ ghorarūpadhāri-rākṣasaiḥ viśālena sainyena parivṛto 'bhavat |

Translation

അപ്പോൾ തന്നെ ശൂലം, മുദ്ഗരം, പാറക്കഷണം, വേരോടെ പിഴുത മരങ്ങൾ എന്നിവ കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച ഭീകരരൂപമുള്ള രാക്ഷസന്മാരുടെ മഹാസേന അവനെ ചുറ്റിപ്പറ്റി.

Word by Word

• रक्षसाम्: of the rakshasas
• रक्षसाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• घोररूपाणाम्: of terrible-formed (ones)
• घोररूपाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोररूप
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• महत्या: by/with a great
• महत्या: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सेनया: army
• सेनया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• वृतः: surrounded
• वृतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle), वृ (वरणे/आवरणे)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Rākṣasas
• śūla (spear)
• mudgara (mace)
• śilākhaṇḍa (boulder/rock fragment)
• vṛkṣa (tree used as a weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warfare amplifies fear and confusion through overwhelming force; the ethical test is to maintain steadiness, judgment, and duty-conscious action even when surrounded by terrifying opponents.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior being encircled by a huge contingent of fearsome rākṣasas carrying crude but devastating weapons—spears, maces, rocks, and uprooted trees—signaling an intense and dangerous turn in the battle.