Shloka 50

Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)

Devanagari script

तस्याभिद्रवतो वाहान्‌ हस्तमुक्तेन वारिणा

Transliteration

tasyābhidravato vāhān hastamuktena vāriṇā

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच— तस्याभिद्रवतो वाहान् हस्तमुक्तेन वारिणा प्रहृत्य निरुद्धवान्; अयमपि युद्धे विनाशं विना क्षणिकं निग्रहं दर्शयन्, हिंसापथं अन्यथा नयति।

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अभिद्रवतः: of (him) rushing/charging
• अभिद्रवतः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिद्रवत् (अभि + द्रवत्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वाहान्: horses (draught-animals)
• वाहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हस्तमुक्तेन: released/shot by the hand
• हस्तमुक्तेन: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्तमुक्त
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• vāhāḥ (steeds/horses)
• vāri (water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid righteous warfare, the manner of action matters: restraining harm through a non-lethal tactic can be ethically significant, reflecting measured force rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combat moment where a charging warrior’s horses are affected—checked or driven back—by water thrown or discharged by hand, interrupting the advance and altering the immediate battle movement.