Mahabharata 7.49.1 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 49, Shloka 1

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

Devanagari script

/ (दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका ३ श्लोक मिलाकर कुल ४१ ६ “लोक हैं।) न२्ंखय्य््लिििसस ह्य ४ «आर एकोनपज्चाशत्तमो<ड्ध्याय: अभिमन्युका कालिकेय

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

viṣṇoḥ svasur nandakaraḥ sa viṣṇvāyudha-bhūṣaṇaḥ |

rājātirathaḥ saṅkhye janārdana ivāparaḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: О царь, тот доблестный Абхиманью — радость Субхадры, сестры Вишну (Кришны), и украшенный оружием, подобным диску, как у самого Кришны, — сиял на поле брани как высший колесничий воин, словно иной Джанардана (Кришна).

Word by Word

• संजय: Sanjaya
• संजय: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu (Krishna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• स्वसुः: of (his) sister
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वसृ
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• नन्दकरः: maker of joy
• नन्दकरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दकर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विष्णु-आयुध-भूषणः: adorned with Vishnu's weapon (the discus)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्ण्वायुधभूषण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रराज: shone, was resplendent
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अतिरथः: a great chariot-warrior (atiratha)
• अतिरथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संख्ये: in battle
• संख्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• जनार्दनः: Janardana (Krishna)
• जनार्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपरः: another, second
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Abhimanyu
• Krishna (Vishnu, Janardana)
• Subhadra
• Chakra (discus weapon; Sudarshana by implication)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an ethical lens for valor: true martial excellence is not mere violence but a dharmic brilliance aligned with righteous purpose, so much so that Abhimanyu is praised through comparison with Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana), the divine exemplar.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Abhimanyu on the battlefield, emphasizing his splendor, elite warrior status (atiratha), and symbolic resemblance to Kṛṣṇa through the mention of Viṣṇu’s weaponry and his role as the joy of Subhadrā.