Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.49.6 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 6

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 49: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Strategic Foreboding after Abhimanyu’s Fall

Devanagari script

तस्याश्वान्‌ गदया हत्वा तथोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी । शराचिताड्: सौभद्र: श्वाविद्वत्‌ समदृश्यत

Transliteration

sa tasyāśvān gadayā hatvā tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī | śarācitāṅgaḥ saubhadraḥ śvāvidvat samadṛśyata ||

Translation

അവൻ ഗദയാൽ അവന്റെ കുതിരകളെ കൊന്നു; അതുപോലെ ഇരുപാർശ്വരക്ഷകരെയും സാരഥിയെയും കൂടി വധിച്ചു. അപ്പോൾ ശരങ്ങളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞ ശരീരമുള്ള സുഭദ്രാപുത്രൻ സൗഭദ്രൻ മുള്ളൻപന്നിയെപ്പോലെ ദൃശ്യമായി.

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Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• गदया: with a mace
• गदया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• पार्ष्णिसारथी: the two flank-guards/charioteers (side-protectors)
• पार्ष्णिसारथी: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्ष्णिसारथि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• शराचिताङ्गः: whose body was covered with arrows
• शराचिताङ्गः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शराचिताङ्ग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सौभद्रः: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• श्वाविद्वत्: like a porcupine
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वाविद्
• Form: वत् (comparative adverbial usage)

• समदृश्यत: appeared/was seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), Ātmanepada, 3rd, Singular, Passive/mediopassive sense

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• mace (gadā)
• horses
• charioteer (sārathi)
• flank-guards (pārṣṇi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: prowess and resolve are praised, yet the ethical weight of battle is evident as even non-heroic attendants and animals fall. It invites reflection on duty performed in a violent context and the human cost embedded in martial success.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Abhimanyu (Saubhadra) in the thick of combat: he kills the enemy’s horses with a mace and also kills the charioteer and two side-guards. His body is so covered with arrows that he looks like a porcupine.