Mahabharata 7.103.23 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 103, Shloka 23

भीमसेन-द्रोण-संग्रामः

Bhīmasena and Droṇa: Containment, Advance, and Recognition

Devanagari script

विमुक्तौ सागरप्रख्याद्‌ द्रोणानीकादरिंदमौ । अदृश्येतां मुदा युक्तौ समुत्तीर्यार्णवं यथा

Transliteration

vimuktau sāgaraprakhyād droṇānīkād ariṃdamau | adṛśyetāṃ mudā yuktau samuttīryārṇavaṃ yathā ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا— سمندر کی مانند وسیع درون کی فوج سے آزاد ہو کر وہ دونوں دشمن کُش بہادر، شری کرشن اور ارجن، خوشی سے بھرے ہوئے یوں دکھائی دیتے تھے گویا انہوں نے ایک عظیم سمندر پار کر لیا ہو۔

Word by Word

• विमुक्तौ: freed, released
• विमुक्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (वि+मुच्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• सागरप्रख्यात्: from (that which is) ocean-like/like an ocean
• सागरप्रख्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सागर-प्रख्य (प्रख्य, तसिल्/पञ्चमी)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• द्रोणानीकात्: from Drona's army/host
• द्रोणानीकात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण-अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अरिंदमौ: enemy-subduing (two heroes)
• अरिंदमौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• अदृश्येताम्: were seen/appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual, Ātmanepada

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युक्तौ: endowed/possessed (with joy)
• युक्तौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (युज्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• समुत्तीर्य: having crossed over
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+उत्+तॄ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund/Lyap)

• अर्णवम्: ocean
• अर्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as if/just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Droṇa’s army (Droṇānīka)
• Kṛṣṇa
• Arjuna
• Ocean/Sea (sāgara/arṇava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores resilience and composure in the face of overwhelming odds: when danger is vast like an ocean, success comes through steadiness and united effort (Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna ‘yuktau’), and the ethical tone celebrates relief without gloating—joy as the natural release after surviving grave peril.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna have successfully gotten free from Droṇa’s massive battle-host. Their visible joy is compared to travelers who have crossed a great sea, emphasizing how formidable Droṇa’s forces were and how significant their escape is.