Mahabharata 7.25.17 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 25, Shloka 17

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance

Devanagari script

तस्य नानदत: केतुमुच्चकर्त च कार्मुकम्‌ । क्षुराभ्यां पाण्डवो ज्येष्ठस्तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जना:

Transliteration

tasya nānadataḥ ketum uccakarta ca kārmukam | kṣurābhyāṃ pāṇḍavo jyeṣṭhas tat uccukruśur janāḥ ||

Translation

గర్జిస్తున్న శల్యుని ధ్వజమును, ధనుస్సును జ్యేష్ఠ పాండవుడు యుధిష్ఠిరుడు రెండు క్షురబాణములతో కోసివేశాడు. అది చూసి అందరూ హర్షంతో గొప్పగా కేకలు వేశారు.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him (of that one)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• नानदतः: roared / bellowed
• नानदतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular

• केतुम्: banner, standard
• केतुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• उच्चकर्त: cut off / severed
• उच्चकर्त: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + कृद्/कृत् (कृ)
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• क्षुराभ्याम्: with two razors (razor-edged arrows)
• क्षुराभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, dual

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ज्येष्ठः: eldest
• ज्येष्ठः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• उच्चुक्रुशुः: cried out loudly / raised a shout
• उच्चुक्रुशुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + क्रुश्
• Form: perfect (liṭ), 3rd, plural

• जनाः: people, men
• जनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• eldest Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• banner/standard (ketu)
• bow (kārmuka)
• razor-edged arrows (kṣura)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield ethics and strategy: disabling an enemy by cutting the banner and bow demonstrates skill and tactical restraint, and it underscores how symbolic targets (standard, weapon) affect collective morale and the perceived momentum of dharma-yuddha.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the eldest Pāṇḍava, using two razor-like arrows, cuts down the opponent’s banner and bow while the opponent is roaring; the surrounding warriors then erupt in a loud, joyful shout at this display of prowess.