Mahabharata 7.193.23 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 193, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

स च्छिन्नधन्वा पाज्चाल्यो निकृत्तध्वजसारथि: । उत्तमामापदं प्राप्य गदां वीर: परामृशत्‌,धनुष, ध्वज और सारथिके नष्ट हो जानेपर भारी विपत्तिमें पड़कर पांचालराजकुमार वीर धृष्टद्युम्नने गदा उठायी

Transliteration

sa cchinnadhanvā pāñcālyo nikṛttadhvajasārathiḥ | uttamām āpadaṃ prāpya gadāṃ vīraḥ parāmṛśat |

Translation

स च्छिन्नधन्वा पाञ्चाल्यो निकृत्तध्वजसारथिः । उत्तमामापदं प्राप्य गदां वीरः परामृशत् ॥

Word by Word

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

• च्छिन्न-धन्वा: whose bow was cut/broken
• च्छिन्न-धन्वा: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: च्छिन्नधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाञ्चाल्यः: the Pāñcāla prince (Dhṛṣṭadyumna)
• पाञ्चाल्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निकृत्त-ध्वज-सारथिः: whose banner and charioteer were cut down
• निकृत्त-ध्वज-सारथिः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निकृत्तध्वजसारथि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उत्तमाम्: great, extreme
• उत्तमाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तमा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आपदम्: calamity, distress
• आपदम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राप्य: having reached/encountered
• प्राप्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• गदाम्: mace
• गदाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परामृशत्: seized/took up
• परामृशत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परा-मृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Pāñcāla
• bow (dhanus)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• charioteer (sārathi)
• mace (gadā)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in kṣatriya-dharma: even when a warrior loses key instruments and support (bow, banner, charioteer), he does not abandon responsibility but adapts—here by taking up a mace—showing resilience and commitment to duty amid adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the Pāñcāla prince, has his bow cut and loses both his banner and charioteer. Facing an extreme danger on the battlefield, he switches weapons and grasps a mace to continue fighting.