Mahabharata 7.49.19 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 19

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 49: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament and Strategic Foreboding after Abhimanyu’s Fall

Devanagari script

त॑ भूमौ पतितं दृष्टवा तावकास्ते महारथा: । मुदा परमया युक्ताश्रुक्रुशु: सिंहवन्मुहु:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | taṁ bhūmau patitaṁ dṛṣṭvā tāvakās te mahārathāḥ | mudā paramayā yuktāḥ śuśruśuḥ siṁhavan muhuḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Ao vê-lo caído no chão, aqueles grandes guerreiros de carro do teu lado, tomados pela mais alta exultação, rugiram repetidas vezes como leões.

Word by Word

• तत्: him/that (one)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• तावकाः: your (men)
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• परमया: supreme/very great
• परमया: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्ताः: endowed/possessed
• युक्ताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अश्रुक्रुशुः: they cried out/roared
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश्
• Form: Perfect (Parasmaipada), 3, Plural

• सिंहवत्: like a lion
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सिंहवत्

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaurava warriors (tāvakāḥ)
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• Abhimanyu (implied by context of the passage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how victory in war can distort moral perception: the fall of a noble opponent becomes a cause for celebration. It invites reflection on dharma in conflict—whether triumph justifies joy when it is purchased through the suffering of the worthy.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Abhimanyu has been brought down on the battlefield, the Kaurava-side elite warriors see him lying on the ground and, elated, repeatedly roar like lions, expressing collective triumph at his defeat.