Mahabharata 7.92.32 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 92, Shloka 32

द्रोणपर्व — द्विनवति-तमोऽध्यायः

Sātyaki Pressed by Kauravas; Duryodhana and Kṛtavarmā Engagements

Devanagari script

निहतैववरिणैरश्रैः क्षत्रियैश्न निपातितै: । अदृश्यत मही तत्र दारुणप्रतिदर्शना

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nihatā iva vāriṇair astrāiḥ kṣatriyaiś ca nipātitaiḥ |

adṛśyata mahī tatra dāruṇa-pratidarśanā ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—ہتھیاروں کی بارش سے زخمی اور گرے ہوئے کشتریوں کے سبب وہاں کی زمین نہایت ہولناک اور دل دہلا دینے والی دکھائی دیتی تھی۔

Word by Word

• निहतैः: by the slain / with the killed
• निहतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत (√हन् + नि, क्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अरिणैः: by enemies
• अरिणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्रैः: with weapons/missiles
• अश्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्र (अश्र/अस्त्र in some recensions)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• क्षत्रियैः: by warriors (kshatriyas)
• क्षत्रियैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• निपातितैः: by those felled/caused to fall
• निपातितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निपातित (√पत् + नि, णिच्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अदृश्यत: was seen / appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (लङ्, आत्मनेपद; passive sense)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada (passive-like: 'was seen/appeared')

• मही: the earth/ground
• मही: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• दारुणप्रतिदर्शना: having a dreadful appearance
• दारुणप्रतिदर्शना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण-प्रतिदर्शन (प्रति + √दृश् + ल्युट्/अन; as noun) / प्रतिदर्शना (f.)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kṣatriyas
• earth/ground (mahī)
• weapons (astra)
• chariots (ratha) (contextual from passage)
• shields (contextual)
• bows (contextual)
• standards/flags (dhvaja) (contextual)
• elephants (contextual)
• horses (contextual)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim reality of war: even when fought under kṣatriya-dharma, violence leaves the earth ‘dreadful to behold.’ It invites reflection on the moral weight and human cost of conflict, contrasting heroic ideals with the devastation they produce.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield after intense fighting: the ground looks as if overwhelmed by a flood of weapons and fallen warriors, with wrecked chariots, fallen standards, and many slain elephants, horses, and kṣatriyas scattered across the field.