Mahabharata 7.39.6 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 6

अभिमन्युना दुःशासनस्य ताडनम्

Abhimanyu’s Rebuke and Wounding of Duḥśāsana; Karṇa’s Counter-volley

Devanagari script

नानानूपान्‌ नृपसुतान्‌ सैन्यानि विविधानि च । अलातचक्रवत्‌ सर्वाश्वरन्‌ बाणै: समार्पयत्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nānānūpān nṛpasutān sainyāni vividhāni ca |

alātacakravat sarvāśvaran bāṇaiḥ samārpayat ||

droṇaḥ karṇaḥ kṛpaḥ śalyaḥ aśvatthāmā bhojavaṃśī kṛtavarmā bṛhadbalaḥ duryodhanaḥ bhūriśravāḥ mahābalī śakuniḥ anekāneka-nareśāḥ rājakuṃārāḥ tathā teṣāṃ vividhāni sainyāni ca | abhimanyuḥ alātacakravat sarvataḥ paribhraman bāṇaprahāraṃ cakāra ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—ابھمنیو الّات چکر کی طرح چاروں طرف گھوم کر مختلف علاقوں کے راجکماروں، نرپ پُتروں اور ان کی گوناگوں فوجی جماعتوں پر تیروں کی بارش کر رہا تھا۔

Word by Word

• नाना: various, many kinds of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना
• Form: indeclinable

• अनूपान्: marshy tracts / river-banks (regions)
• अनूपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूप
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• नृपसुतान्: sons of kings, princes
• नृपसुतान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसुत
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• सैन्यानि: armies
• सैन्यानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सैन्य
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• विविधानि: various
• विविधानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: indeclinable

• अलातचक्रवत्: like a whirling firebrand-wheel
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलातचक्रवत्
• Form: indeclinable (vat-pratyaya: 'like')

• सर्वतः: on all sides, everywhere
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः
• Form: indeclinable

• अश्वरत्: moved swiftly / rushed about
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश्व
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• समार्पयत्: struck / inflicted / delivered (arrows)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√ऋ (अर्प्)
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Drona
• Karna
• Kripa
• Shalya
• Ashvatthama
• Kritavarma
• Bhoja lineage (Bhojavaṃśa)
• Brihadbala
• Duryodhana
• Bhurishravas
• Shakuni
• many kings (nareśa)
• princes (rājakumāra)
• arrows (bāṇa)
• firebrand-circle simile (alātacakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kshatriya-dharma expressed as steadfast courage under overwhelming pressure: Abhimanyu continues to fight with disciplined skill even when surrounded by renowned elders and many forces. Ethically, it also invites reflection on the asymmetry between individual valor and collective violence in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Abhimanyu moving rapidly in all directions, like a whirled firebrand forming a circle of flame, and striking princes, kings, and multiple troop formations with arrows—naming major Kaurava warriors among those he attacks.