Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.13.16 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 13, Shloka 16

Droṇa’s sweeping assault and the Abhimanyu–Jayadratha close-quarters episode (द्रोणस्य भीषणव्यचरितम् / सौभद्र-जयद्रथ-संनिपातः)

Devanagari script

सिंहनादश्न संजज्ञे पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्‌ | धनुर्ज्यातलशब्दश्ष गगनस्पृक्‌ सुभैरव:

Transliteration

saṁjaya uvāca | siṁhanādaś ca saṁjajñe pāṇḍavānāṁ mahātmanām | dhanurjyātalaśabdaś ca gaganaspr̥k subhairavaḥ | āptair āśu parijñātaṁ bhāradvājacikīrṣitam |

Translation

سنجے نے کہا: عظیم النفس پانڈوؤں کا اچانک شیر کی مانند نعرہ بلند ہوا، اور کمان کی چِلّہ کھنچنے کی نہایت ہولناک، آسمان تک پہنچتی آواز گونج اٹھی۔ اور بھاردواج کے بیٹے (درون) کا ارادہ معتبر لوگوں کے ذریعے جلد اور درست طور پر معلوم کر لیا گیا۔

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Word by Word

• सिंहनादः: lion-roar, loud war-cry
• सिंहनादः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंहनाद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• संजज्ञे: arose, occurred
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (जायते)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

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

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled (ones)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धनुः: of the bow
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ज्यातलः: bowstring-slap/twang
• ज्यातलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्यातल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शब्दः: sound
• शब्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गगनस्पृक्: sky-touching, reaching the sky
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गगनस्पृश्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुभैरवः: very terrible, exceedingly dreadful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभैरव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Pandavas
• Drona (Bharadvaja-putra)
• bows
• bowstrings
• battle-roar (siṁhanāda)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in the heat of war, righteous leadership combines valor with discernment: the Pāṇḍavas respond with courage, yet they also verify the enemy’s plan through trusted intelligence, showing responsibility and restraint rather than blind reaction.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes the Pāṇḍavas’ camp erupting with a fierce battle-cry and the terrifying twang of bowstrings. At the same time, they quickly learn—through reliable agents—Droṇa’s intended move, preparing to meet his strategy.