Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततोअस्मै प्राहिणोद्‌ द्रोण: शरानधिकविंशतिम्‌ । अप्राप्तांश्वैव तान्‌ पार्थश्रचिच्छेद कृतहस्तवत्‌,तब आचार्य द्रोणने अर्जुनपर इक्कीस बाण चलाये; किंतु पार्थने उन सबको पास आनेसे पहले ही काट गिराया, मानो उनके हाथ इस कलामें पूर्ण सुशिक्षित थे

Transliteration

tato ’smai prāhiṇod droṇaḥ śarān adhika-viṁśatim | aprāptāṁś caiva tān pārthaś ciccheda kṛta-hastavat ||

Translation

Lalu Droṇa melepaskan lebih daripada dua puluh anak panah ke arahnya. Namun Pārtha (Arjuna), sebelum batang-batang itu sempat mendekati sasaran, memotong semuanya di pertengahan lintasan, seolah-olah tangannya terlatih sempurna dalam seni itu—memperlihatkan penguasaan yang berdisiplin, bukan sekadar amarah di medan perang.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अस्मैto him

प्राहिणोत्sent, discharged

द्रोणःDroṇa

शरान्arrows

अधिक-विंशतिम्more than twenty (i.e., twenty-one)

अप्राप्तान्not yet reached (him)

एवindeed, just

तान्those (arrows)

पार्थःPārtha (Arjuna)

चिच्छेदcut (them) down

कृत-हस्तवत्like one with a trained/skillful hand

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Droṇa

Pārtha (Arjuna)

arrows (śara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined mastery (abhyāsa and saṁyama) in action: true excellence in battle is shown not by uncontrolled aggression but by precise, timely skill—suggesting an ethical ideal of controlled power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa releases a volley of over twenty arrows at Arjuna; Arjuna intercepts and cuts them down before they can reach him, demonstrating superior reflexes and consummate training.