Mahabharata 7.16.3 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 16, Shloka 3

Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)

Devanagari script

तस्य दीप्ता महाबाणा विनिश्चेरु: सहसत्रश: । भानोरिव महाराज धर्मकाले मरीचय:

Transliteration

tasya dīptā mahābāṇā viniśceruḥ sahasraśaḥ | bhānor iva mahārāja dharmakāle marīcayaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Maharaja, dari busurnya memancar anak-anak panah besar yang menyala, beribu-ribu banyaknya. Seperti sinar matahari pada musim panas yang menghambur menjadi ribuan pancaran ke segala arah, demikianlah panah-panah itu menyala dan merebak dari busur Vṛṣasena.

Word by Word

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

• दीप्ताः: blazing, radiant
• दीप्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाबाणाः: great arrows
• महाबाणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाबाण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विनिश्चेरुः: went forth, issued out
• विनिश्चेरुः: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-चर्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Plural

• सहस्रशः: by thousands, in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Adverbial
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस्

• भानोः: of the sun
• भानोः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• इव: like, as
• इव: Upamana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• धर्मकाले: at the proper/appointed time (season)
• धर्मकाले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मकाल
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मरीचयः: rays
• मरीचयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (mahārāja)
• Sun (Bhānu)
• Arrows (mahābāṇa)
• Bow (implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames martial action within the idea of an appointed time (kāla) tied to dharma: when the destined moment arrives, power manifests irresistibly, and deeds carry ethical weight and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior releasing a torrent of radiant arrows from his bow, comparing their spreading brilliance to the sun’s rays fanning out in the proper season/time.