Mahabharata 7.97.19 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 19

शैनेयचरितम्

The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement

Devanagari script

यं यमार्च्छच्छरैद्रोण: पाण्डवानां रथव्रजम्‌ । ततस्तत: शरैद्रोणमपाकर्षत पार्षत:

Transliteration

yaṁ yam ārcchac charair droṇaḥ pāṇḍavānāṁ rathavrajam | tatas tataḥ śarair droṇam apākarṣat pārṣataḥ ||

Translation

ద్రోణాచార్యుడు బాణాలతో పాండవుల రథసేనలో ఏ ఏ విభాగంపై దాడి చేసేవాడో, ఆ ఆ దిశ నుంచే పార్షతుడైన ధృష్టద్యుమ్నుడు వెంటనే బాణవర్షం కురిపించి ద్రోణుణ్ణి వెనక్కు నెట్టివేసేవాడు।

Word by Word

• यम्: which (whom/that)
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यम्: which (whom/that)
• यम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आर्च्छत्: attacked/reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऋच्छ् (गम्/प्राप्-अर्थे)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रथव्रजम्: the mass/host of chariots
• रथव्रजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथव्रज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• ततः: from that side/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• अपाकर्षत्: drove back/repelled
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप + कृṣ् (कर्षणे)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्षतः: Dhrishtadyumna (son of Prishata)
• पार्षतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत (धृष्टद्युम्न-नाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Pāṇḍavas
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata)
• arrows (śara)
• chariot-host (rathavraja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vigilant guardianship and disciplined response in righteous warfare: when a powerful aggressor presses an advantage, a responsible defender must counter promptly to protect one’s side. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma as steadiness, readiness, and strategic restraint rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa repeatedly attacks different sections of the Pāṇḍava chariot formations with arrows. Dhṛṣṭadyumna immediately answers each thrust by showering arrows back and forcing Droṇa to withdraw from that direction, preventing Droṇa from breaking the Pāṇḍava lines.