Mahabharata 7.97.13 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 13

शैनेयचरितम्

The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement

Devanagari script

वारयामास तान्‌ द्रोणो जलौघमचलो यथा । पाण्डवान्‌ समरे क्रुद्धान्‌ पज्चलांश्व सकेकयान्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vārayāmāsa tān droṇo jalaugham acalo yathā | pāṇḍavān samare kruddhān pāñcālāṁś ca sa-kaikayān ||

Translation

Como uma montanha imóvel detém a enxurrada que avança, assim Droṇa os conteve no campo de batalha—os Pāṇḍavas enfurecidos, juntamente com os Pāñcālas e os Kaikayas.

Word by Word

• वारयामास: stopped/checked
• वारयामास: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वारय् (√वृ, caus.)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, periphrastic perfect), 3, singular

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• जलौघम्: a flood/stream of water
• जलौघम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलौघ
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अचलः: a mountain
• अचलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• यथा: as/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• पाण्डवान्: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• क्रुद्धान्: angry/enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (√क्रुध्, क्त)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• पाञ्चालान्: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सकेकयान्: the Kekayas (together/with them)
• सकेकयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकय
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāñcālas
• Kaikayas
• battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of steadiness and disciplined command: like a mountain stopping a flood, a composed and skilled leader can restrain even overwhelming force. Ethically, it also points to the tragic complexity of dharma in war—strength and mastery may serve one side’s duty while obstructing another side’s righteous resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Droṇa on the battlefield successfully checking the advance of the enraged Pāṇḍavas, along with their allies the Pāñcālas and Kaikayas, using a vivid simile of a mountain halting a rushing flood.