Mahabharata 7.159.45 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 159, Shloka 45

अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः

Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle

Devanagari script

द्रोणाचार्यकी मार खाकर पांचाल-सैनिक भीमसेन और महात्मा अर्जुनके देखते-देखते भयके मारे भागने लगे ।।

Transliteration

tataḥ kirīṭī bhīmaś ca sahasā saṃnyavartatām | mahadbhayāt rathavaṃśābhyāṃ parigṛhya balaṃ tadā ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Então Arjuna, o de diadema, e Bhīma voltaram-se de pronto. Vendo suas tropas tomadas por grande medo e prestes a romper, contiveram a força vacilante com formações de carros, firmando novamente o exército.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• किरीटी: the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)
• किरीटी: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भीमः: Bhima
• भीमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• सहसा: suddenly, at once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा
• Form: Avyaya

• संन्यवर्तताम्: they two turned back/returned
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd person, Dual, Parasmaipada

• महद्भयात्: from great fear
• महद्भयात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महद् + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• रथवंशाभ्याम्: by/with the two chariot-forces (two chariot-divisions)
• रथवंशाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथवंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Dual

• परिगृह्य: having seized/held back, restraining
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), indeclinable

• बलम्: the army/force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then, at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: Avyaya

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Kirīṭin)
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• chariot-formations (rathavaṃśa)
• army/force (bala)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid violence and chaos, dharma includes responsibility for others: a leader must prevent panic, protect the vulnerable, and restore order. Valor is not only attacking the enemy but also sustaining the morale and cohesion of one’s own side.

What is happening in the narrative?

After fear spreads through the troops, Arjuna (Kirīṭin) and Bhīma quickly turn back and, using chariot-lines/formations, restrain and steady their army, preventing a rout and re-establishing battlefield discipline.