Mahabharata 7.47.6 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 47, Shloka 6

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 47 — Abhimanyu’s rapid exchanges, counsel to disable his chariot-system

Devanagari script

सौभद्रमितरे वीरमभ्यवर्षन्‌ शराम्बुभि: । तालमात्राणि चापानि विकर्षन्तो महाबला:

Transliteration

saubhadram itare vīram abhyavarṣan śarāmbubhiḥ | tālamātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahābalāḥ ||

Translation

అప్పుడు ఇతర మహాబలులు తమ ధనుస్సులను పూర్తిగా లాగి, సుభద్రాపుత్రుడైన వీరుడు అభిమన్యుపై నీటి ప్రవాహంలా బాణవర్షం కురిపించసాగారు।

Word by Word

• सौभद्रम्: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र (सुभद्रा-पुत्र)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इतरे: the others
• इतरे: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वीरम्: the hero
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यवर्षन्: they rained upon / showered
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शर-अम्बुभिः: with waters in the form of arrows (i.e., a shower of arrows)
• शर-अम्बुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + अम्बु
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• ताल-मात्राणि: of palm-tree measure (very large)
• ताल-मात्राणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताल + मात्रा
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• चापानि: bows
• चापानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विकर्षन्तः: drawing (pulling)
• विकर्षन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√कृष्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महाबलाः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu (Saubhadra)
• bows (cāpa)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the intensity and moral strain of war: even a single heroic fighter may be met with collective, concentrated violence. It invites reflection on kṣatriya-dharma—courage and endurance amid danger—while also exposing how battlefield success can depend on numbers and coordinated force rather than equal single combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes other powerful warriors drawing their bows fully and unleashing a heavy barrage of arrows upon Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadrā, creating the image of a rainstorm made of arrows.