Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.21.2 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

संजय कहते हैं--राजन्‌! तदनन्तर युधिष्ठिरने द्रोणको अपने समीप आया देख एक निर्भय वीरकी भाँति बाणोंकी बड़ी भारी वर्षा करके उन्हें रोक दिया ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca—rājan! tadanantaraṃ yudhiṣṭhiro droṇam ātmānam upasaṃkrāntam upalakṣya nirbhaya-vīra iva śarāṇāṃ mahāvarṣaṃ kṛtvā taṃ nyavārayat. tato halahalāśabda āsīd yudhiṣṭhire bale, jighṛkṣati mahāsiṃhe gajānām iva yūthapam.

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: «Ó rei! Depois disso, Yudhiṣṭhira, vendo Droṇa avançar contra ele, deteve-o como um guerreiro destemido, desencadeando uma tremenda chuva de flechas. Então ergueu-se grande tumulto no exército de Yudhiṣṭhira, pois Droṇācārya buscava capturar Yudhiṣṭhira, como um leão poderoso procura agarrar o chefe de uma manada de elefantes».

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Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• हलहलाशब्दः: a 'halahalā' cry/noise
• हलहलाशब्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हलहलाशब्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आसीत्: was/arose
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3, Singular

• यौधिष्ठिरे: in/among Yudhiṣṭhira's (force)
• यौधिष्ठिरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौधिष्ठिर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• बले: in the army/force
• बले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• जिघृक्षति: wishes to seize
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: Present, 3, Singular

• महासिंहे: when/while (like) a great lion
• महासिंहे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महासिंह
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• यूथपम्: the leader of a herd
• यूथपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Yudhiṣṭhira’s army (Pāṇḍava-senā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in practice: even a dharma-minded king like Yudhiṣṭhira must act decisively to protect himself and his army. It also underscores the ethical weight of leadership—capturing the commander (or king) can decide a battle, so both defense and offense focus on the leader’s responsibility and vulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa advances with the intent to seize Yudhiṣṭhira. Yudhiṣṭhira responds by releasing a heavy volley of arrows and halting Droṇa’s approach. The Pāṇḍava army erupts in loud commotion, and the text compares Droṇa’s intent to a lion trying to catch the chief of an elephant herd.