Shloka 203

Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption

Devanagari script

अभ्यद्रवन्त त्वरिता द्रोणानीकं॑ बिभित्सव: । घमंडमें भरे हुए अपने कट्टर शत्रुको पराजित हुआ देख अपनी ध्वजाओंके अग्रभागमें धर्म, वायु, इन्द्र और अश्विनीकुमारोंकी प्रतिमा धारण करनेवाले महारथी द्रौपदीकुमार, सात्यकि, चेकितान, धृष्टद्युम्मन, शिखण्डी, केकय-राजकुमार, धृष्टकेतु, मत्स्य, पांचाल, सूंजय तथा युधिष्ठिर आदि पाण्डव बड़े हर्षके साथ उतावले होकर द्रोणाचार्यके व्यूहका भेदन करनेकी इच्छासे उसपर टूट पड़े

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | abhyadravanta tvaritā droṇānīkaṃ bibhitsavaḥ |

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଦ୍ରୋଣାଚାର୍ୟଙ୍କ ବ୍ୟୂହକୁ ଭେଦିବା ଇଚ୍ଛାରେ ସେମାନେ ତ୍ୱରିତ ହୋଇ ଦ୍ରୋଣସେନା ଉପରେ ଧାଇଲେ। ଅହଂକାରରେ ଭରିଥିବା ନିଜ କଠୋର ଶତ୍ରୁ ଦବାଯାଇ ପରାଜିତ ହେଉଛି ଦେଖି, ଧ୍ୱଜାଗ୍ରଭାଗରେ ଧର୍ମ, ବାୟୁ, ଇନ୍ଦ୍ର ଓ ଅଶ୍ୱିନୀକୁମାରଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତିମା ଧାରଣ କରିଥିବା ମହାରଥୀ—ଦ୍ରୌପଦେୟମାନେ, ସାତ୍ୟକି, ଚେକିତାନ, ଧୃଷ୍ଟଦ୍ୟୁମ୍ନ, ଶିଖଣ୍ଡୀ, କେକୟ ରାଜକୁମାରମାନେ, ଧୃଷ୍ଟକେତୁ, ମତ୍ସ୍ୟ, ପାଞ୍ଚାଳ, ସୃଞ୍ଜୟ ଏବଂ ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିର ଆଦି ପାଣ୍ଡବମାନେ—ହର୍ଷ ଓ ଆତୁରତା ସହ ଦ୍ରୋଣବ୍ୟୂହକୁ ଚିରିବାକୁ ତାହା ଉପରେ ଭାଙ୍ଗି ପଡ଼ିଲେ।

Word by Word

• अभ्यद्रवन्: ran towards, charged
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (द्रवति)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• त्वरिताः: hastened, swift
• त्वरिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित (√त्वर् + क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रोण-अनीकम्: Drona's army/formation
• द्रोण-अनीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण + अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बिभित्सवः: wishing to split/pierce (to break through)
• बिभित्सवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिभित्सु (desiderative adj. from √भिद्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇācārya
• Droṇa’s army (Droṇānīka)
• Draupadī’s sons (Draupadīkumāras)
• Sātyaki
• Cekitāna
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Śikhaṇḍin
• Kekaya princes
• Dhṛṣṭaketu
• Matsya (people/kingdom)
• Pāñcāla (people/kingdom)
• Sṛñjaya (people/clan)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Pāṇḍavas
• Dharma (as emblem on banners)
• Vāyu (as emblem on banners)
• Indra (as emblem on banners)
• Aśvin twins (Aśvinīkumāras, as emblems on banners)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined resolve in the face of a formidable opponent: coordinated effort, courage, and strategic intent (breaking the vyūha) are portrayed as essential to fulfilling kṣatriya duty in war, while the banner-emblems invoke ideals of righteous power (Dharma and the gods) as moral-symbolic support.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍava-aligned heroes and allied forces, exhilarated and urgent, charge toward Droṇa’s battle-front with the explicit aim of piercing Droṇa’s tactical formation.