Mahabharata 9.21.2 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 2

Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ

Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements

Devanagari script

तत्‌ प्रभग्नं बल॑ दृष्टवा कृतवर्मा महारथ: । दधार समरे शूर: शत्रुसैन्यं महाबल:,अपनी सेनाका व्यूह भंग हुआ देखकर महाबलवान्‌ महारथी शूरवीर कृतवर्माने समरांगणमें शत्रुकी सेनाको आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया

Transliteration

tat prabhagnaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṛtavarmā mahārathaḥ | dadhāra samare śūraḥ śatru-sainyaṃ mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Melihat formasi tenteranya sendiri hancur, Kṛtavarmā—wira perkasa, seorang maharathi yang gagah—tetap teguh di medan laga dan menahan bala musuh daripada mara ke hadapan.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (army/force)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रभग्नम्: broken, routed
• प्रभग्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रभग्न
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• कृतवर्मा: Kṛtavarmā
• कृतवर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतवर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• दधार: held back, restrained
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शूरः: the brave one
• शूरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शत्रु: of the enemy
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सैन्यम्: army
• सैन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाबलः: very strong, mighty
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛtavarmā
• enemy army (śatru-sainyam)
• battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When collective order breaks down, dharma in a warrior-leader appears as steadiness and restraint: preventing the enemy from exploiting panic, protecting one’s side, and restoring discipline rather than surrendering to confusion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava formation has been shattered; in response, Kṛtavarmā stands his ground and checks the enemy’s advance on the battlefield.