Mahabharata 7.21.17 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 17

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

अथान्यद्‌ धनुरादाय सत्यजिद्‌ वेगवत्तरम्‌ | साश्वंं ससूतं विशिखैद्रोणं विव्याध सध्वजम्‌

Transliteration

athānyad dhanur ādāya satyajid vegavattaram | sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ viśikhair droṇaṃ vivyādha sadhvajam ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Lalu Satyajit mengambil busur yang lain, lebih pantas dayanya, dan dengan anak panah tajam menikam Droṇācārya—bersama kuda-kudanya, saisnya, dan panji perangnya.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अन्यत्: another
• अन्यत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• सत्यजित्: Satyajit
• सत्यजित्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यजित्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वेगवत्तरम्: swifter (more rapid)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगवत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular, Comparative

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• अश्वम्: horse
• अश्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• सूतम्: charioteer
• सूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced, wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स: with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Satyajit
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• horses
• charioteer (sūta)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• bow
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of dharma in war: once battle is joined, even a venerable teacher like Droṇa is engaged as an active combatant, and opponents strike decisively to disable his fighting capacity (chariot, horses, driver, and standard), showing how duty and survival can override personal reverence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Satyajit switches to another, faster bow and shoots arrows that strike Droṇa along with the key elements of his chariot formation—horses, charioteer, and banner—indicating an intense exchange aimed at crippling Droṇa’s battlefield effectiveness.