Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.21.10 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

ततः सत्यजितं ती&णैर्दशभिर्मर्म भेदिभि: । अविध्यच्छीघ्रमाचार्यश्छित्त्वास्य सशरं धनु:

Transliteration

tataḥ satyajitaṁ tīrṇair daśabhir marma-bhedibhiḥ | avidhyac chīghram ācāryaś chittvāsya saśaraṁ dhanuḥ ||

Translation

பின்னர் ஆசாரியர் துரோணர், முதலில் சத்யஜித்தின் அம்புடன் கூடிய வில்லைக் கிழித்துத் தள்ளி, உடனே மర్మங்களைத் துளைக்கும் பத்து கூரிய அம்புகளால் அவனை விரைவில் காயப்படுத்தினார்.

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Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)

• सत्यजितम्: Satyajit (as object)
• सत्यजितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यजित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तीक्ष्णैः: with sharp (ones)
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• मर्मभेदिभिः: with vital-part-piercing (arrows)
• मर्मभेदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्मभेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अविध्यत्: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक; अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)

• आचार्यः: the teacher (Drona)
• आचार्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• छित्त्वा: having cut
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• अस्य: of him, his
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सशरम्: together with the arrows
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Ācārya)
• Satyajit
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrows/shafts (bāṇa/śara implied)
• vital points (marma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: extraordinary competence (Droṇa’s precise disabling of an opponent) can be morally neutral as a skill, yet its use in battle raises questions of proportionality, restraint, and duty (dharma) within a destructive conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa swiftly neutralizes Satyajit by first cutting his bow (even with the arrow fitted) and then striking him with ten sharp, vital-point-piercing arrows, as Sañjaya reports the unfolding combat.