Shloka 32

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya-saṃvādaḥ; madhyāhna-saṅgrāma-pravṛttiḥ

Dhritarashtra–Sanjaya dialogue and the midday battle escalation

Devanagari script

ततः शरसहस्राणि बहूनि भरतर्षभ | प्रेषयामास समरे द्रौणि: परमकोपन:,भरतश्रेष्ठ) तब परम क्रोधी अश्वत्थामाने समरभूमिमें शिखण्डीपर कई हजार बाणोंकी वर्षा की

Transliteration

tataḥ śarasahasrāṇi bahūni bharatarṣabha | preṣayāmāsa samare drauṇiḥ paramakopanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bấy giờ, hỡi bậc tráng kiện nhất trong dòng Bharata, Aśvatthāman—con trai của Droṇa—bị cơn thịnh nộ tột cùng chi phối, đã phóng ra giữa chiến trận hàng ngàn mũi tên, trút xuống đối phương một trận mưa tên dữ dội.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from that/thereupon')

• शर-सहस्राणि: thousands of arrows
• शर-सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• भरत-ऋषभ: O bull of the Bharatas (best of Bharatas)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत-ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• प्रेषयामास: sent, discharged
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-इष् (प्रेषयति)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (son of Drona; Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परम-कोपनः: extremely wrathful
• परम-कोपनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-कोपन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied addressee via bharatarṣabha)
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)
• Droṇa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how uncontrolled anger (kopa) intensifies violence: even legitimate warrior prowess, when driven by wrath, becomes a force of excessive destruction, warning that inner discipline is essential to dharma in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā), in great fury, releases a massive volley—thousands of arrows—during the battle, escalating the combat’s ferocity.