Mahabharata 7.16.35 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 16, Shloka 35

Adhyāya 16: Saṃśaptaka-vrata and the Diversion of Arjuna (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६)

Devanagari script

त्वरितं सिंहसेनस्तु द्रोणं विदूध्वा महारथम्‌ | प्राहसत्‌ सहसा हृष्टसत्रासयन्‌ वै महारथान्‌

Transliteration

tvaritaṃ siṃhasenas tu droṇaṃ vidūdhvā mahāratham | prāhasat sahasā hṛṣṭas trāsayan vai mahārathān |

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—హర్షోల్లాసంతో సింహసేనుడు వేగంగా మహారథి ద్రోణుని గాయపరచి, ఇతర మహారథుల హృదయాల్లో భయాన్ని పుట్టిస్తూ అకస్మాత్తుగా ఘోరంగా అట్టహాసం చేసెను.

Word by Word

• त्वरितम्: swiftly, quickly
• त्वरितम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सिंहसेनः: Siṃhasena (name of a warrior)
• सिंहसेनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहसेन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• द्रोणम्: Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विदूध्वा: having wounded/struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: विदूध्वा
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), विदूध् (as read in the given text; sense: to wound/strike)

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राहसत्: laughed out, laughed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हस्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सहसा: suddenly, at once
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• हृष्टः: delighted, exultant
• हृष्टः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रासयन्: frightening, causing terror
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्रस् (causative: त्रासय)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• महारथान्: the great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Siṃhasena
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension in warfare: victory can be pursued not only through force but also through fear and humiliation. It implicitly contrasts martial exhilaration and intimidation with the ideal of disciplined kṣatriya conduct, reminding readers that the moral cost of war includes psychological cruelty as well as bodily harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the warrior Siṃhasena quickly attacks and wounds Droṇācārya. Overjoyed, he laughs loudly, and this triumphant display frightens other leading chariot-warriors on the battlefield.