Mahabharata 7.21.40 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

वीरास्थिशर्करां रौद्रां भेरीमुरजकच्छपाम्‌ । चर्मवर्मप्लवां घोरां केशशैवलशाद्धलाम्‌

Transliteration

vīrāsthiśarkarāṁ raudrāṁ bherīmurajakacchapām | carmavarmaplavāṁ ghorāṁ keśaśaivalśādvalām ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Дрона заставил поле битвы течь, словно страшная река крови, будто воды вселенского распада. В том ужасном потоке кости героев казались песком и галькой; боевые барабаны и литавры — черепахами; щиты и доспехи плыли, как лодьи; а волосы становились тиной и травой по берегам. Этот образ не прославляет победу, но обнажает нравственный ужас и неизбежную цену войны: как воинское мастерство, будучи развязано, превращает поле в поток, уносящий и храбрых, и робких без разбора.

Word by Word

• वीर: of heroes
• वीर: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अस्थि: bone(s)
• अस्थि: Visheshana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्थि
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• शर्कराम्: gravel/pebbles (as)
• शर्कराम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर्करा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• रौद्राम्: terrible, fierce
• रौद्राम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भेरी: kettle-drum
• भेरी: Visheshana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेरी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• मुरज: drum (mṛdaṅga-type)
• मुरज: Visheshana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुरज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कच्छपाम्: tortoise (as)
• कच्छपाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कच्छपा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चर्म: hide; shield
• चर्म: Visheshana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वर्म: armor
• वर्म: Visheshana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्लवाम्: boat/raft (as)
• प्लवाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लव
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• घोराम्: dreadful
• घोराम्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• केश: with hair (as)
• केश: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• शैवल: algae
• शैवल: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैवल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शाद्धलाम्: grass (as)
• शाद्धलाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाद्धल
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• war-drums (bherī, muraja)
• tortoise (kacchapa)
• shields (carma)
• armor (varman)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical gravity of war: even when fought under kṣatriya duty, battle produces a dehumanizing devastation. The poetic ‘river’ imagery functions as moral commentary—martial prowess can become a force that sweeps away life indiscriminately, warning the listener not to romanticize violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Droṇa’s onslaught in the Kurukṣetra war through an extended metaphor: the battlefield becomes a terrifying river where bones are gravel, drums are tortoises, and shields/armor are boats, conveying the scale and dreadfulness of the slaughter.