Mahabharata 7.96.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 96, Shloka 2

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 96: Sātyaki’s Line-Penetration, Encirclement, and Advance toward Arjuna

Devanagari script

काम्बोजस्य च दायादे हते राजन्‌ सुदक्षिणे । श्रुतायुधे च विक्रान्ते निहते सव्यसाचिना

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

kāmbojasya ca dāyāde hate rājan sudakṣiṇe |

śrutāyudhe ca vikrānte nihate savyasācinā |

tvarann ekaratheṇaiva sametya droṇam abravīt ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—రాజా! కాంబోజ వంశ వారసుడు సుదక్షిణుడు హతుడై, పరాక్రమశాలి శ్రుతాయుధుడూ సవ్యసాచి అర్జునుని చేతిలో నిహతుడైనప్పుడు, సేనలో భయం మరియు కలకలం చెలరేగినదాన్ని చూసి దుర్యోధనుడు ఒక్క రథంలోనే వేగంగా ద్రోణాచార్యుని వద్దకు వెళ్లి, ఆయనను కలసి ఇలా పలికాడు.

Word by Word

• काम्बोजस्य: of the Kamboja (king/people)
• काम्बोजस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्बोज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• दायादे: when the heir/kinsman was (in the state of being) slain
• दायादे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दायाद
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हते: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सुदक्षिणे: in/when (the one named) Sudakṣiṇa (was slain)
• सुदक्षिणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदक्षिण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• श्रुतायुधे: in/when (the one named) Śrutāyudha
• श्रुतायुधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुतायुध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• विक्रान्ते: valiant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• निहते: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सव्यसाचिना: by Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाचिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• त्वरन्: hastening
• त्वरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर्
• Form: Present active participle (śatṛ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एकरथेन: with a single chariot
• एकरथेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकरथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• समेत्य: having approached/met
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + इ
• Form: Absolutive (ktvā/lyap), true

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

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Kāmboja
• Sudakṣiṇa
• Śrutāyudha
• Arjuna (Savyasācin)
• Duryodhana
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of command in war: when key warriors fall and an army’s morale breaks, leaders are compelled to seek counsel urgently. It implicitly contrasts steadfastness in dharma with panic-driven decision-making under the pressure of loss.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Arjuna (Savyasācin) kills Sudakṣiṇa of the Kāmbojas and the warrior Śrutāyudha, Duryodhana—alarmed by the disarray in his forces—rushes alone in a chariot to Droṇa and begins to address him.