Mahabharata 7.159.19 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 159, Shloka 19

अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः

Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle

Devanagari script

ते विद्धा व्यसव: पेतु: स्यन्दने भ्यो हतौजस:

Transliteration

te viddhā vyasavaḥ petuḥ syandanebhyo hataujasaḥ

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—وہ زخمی ہو کر، بے جان اور قوت سے محروم ہو کر رتھوں سے گر پڑے۔

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विद्धाः: pierced, struck
• विद्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (विध्) धातु (to pierce/strike) → विद्ध (PPP)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यसवः: lifeless ones, dead men
• व्यसवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पेतुः: fell
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (to fall)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

• स्यन्दनेभ्यः: from the chariots
• स्यन्दनेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Plural

• हतौजसः: whose strength was destroyed
• हतौजसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत-ओजस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariots (syandana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of power and the severe ethical cost of warfare: even the mighty, once struck, become lifeless and fall, reminding the listener that martial glory is fragile and bound to consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that warriors who have been pierced by weapons lose their life and strength and tumble down from their chariots, marking a moment of heavy casualties in the Drona Parva battle.