Shloka 16

Droṇa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna-yuddha (द्रोण-धृष्टद्युम्न-युद्धम्) — Tactical duel and allied interventions

Devanagari script

सौभद्रस्तु ततः क्रुद्ध: पातिते रथसारथौ । बृहदूबलं महाराज विव्याध नवभि: शरै:,महाराज! अपने रथके सारथिके मारे जानेपर सुभद्राकुमार अभिमन्यु कुपित हो उठे और उन्होंने बृहदबलको नौ बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

saubhadras tu tataḥ kruddhaḥ pātite rathasārathau | bṛhadbalaṃ mahārāja vivyādha navabhiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

మహారాజా! తన రథసారథి పడిపోయినదాన్ని చూసి సౌభద్రుడు (అభిమన్యుడు) క్రోధంతో రగిలి, బృహద్బలుని తొమ్మిది బాణాలతో గాయపరిచెను.

Word by Word

• सौभद्रः: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (कृदन्त; √क्रुध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पातिते: when (the two) had been slain/caused to fall
• पातिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पातित (कृदन्त; √पत्/√पातय्)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• रथसारथौ: in the two charioteers (of the chariot)
• रथसारथौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथसारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Dual

• बृहद्बलम्: Bṛhadbala
• बृहद्बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)
• Subhadrā
• Bṛhadbala
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'mahārāja')
• charioteer (rathasārathi)
• chariot (ratha)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a common battlefield ethic and human impulse: the fall of a close companion (here, the charioteer) provokes intense anger, leading to swift retaliation. It invites reflection on how grief and rage can govern action in war, even for those bound by kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Abhimanyu’s charioteer is killed, Abhimanyu becomes furious and immediately attacks Bṛhadbala, piercing him with nine arrows, as Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.