Shloka 36
Devanagari script
त॑ निहत्येषुवर्ष तु द्रोण: क्षत्रियमर्दन:
Transliteration
tān nihatyeṣuvarṣaṃ tu droṇaḥ kṣatriyamardanaḥ
Translation
ताँ निहत्येषुवर्षे तु द्रोणः क्षत्रियमर्दनः । रणभूमौ दारुणं कर्म चकार, शरवृष्ट्या सेनाव्यूहान् अभिभूय धैर्यतेजसा च व्याप्तवान् ॥
Word by Word
तान्them
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
निहत्यhaving slain
निहत्य:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-हन्
FormAbsolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
इषुवर्षम्a shower of arrows
इषुवर्षम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootइषुवर्ष
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
द्रोणःDrona
द्रोणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रोण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
क्षत्रियमर्दनःcrusher of warriors (kshatriyas)
क्षत्रियमर्दनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्रियमर्दन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)द
द्रोण (Droṇa)इ
इषु (arrows)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: martial excellence and unwavering resolve can become instruments of large-scale destruction. It invites reflection on how duty and prowess, when exercised in war, carry grave ethical weight even when socially sanctioned.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa, unleashing a dense shower of arrows, has slain the opposing warriors being referred to and is depicted as a formidable destroyer of kṣatriya fighters, dominating the battle through superior archery.