Mahabharata 7.119.35 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 119, Shloka 35

Śaineya–Bhūriśravas: Genealogy, Svayaṃvara Contest, and the Maheśvara Boon

Devanagari script

पाण्डुपाज्चालसम्भिन्न॑ व्यूहमालोक्य वीर्यवान्‌ । शैनेये नाकरोद्‌ू यत्नं व्यूहमेवा भ्यरक्षत

Transliteration

pāṇḍupāñcālasambhinnaṁ vyūham ālokya vīryavān | śaineye nākarod yatnaṁ vyūham evābhyarakṣata ||

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: Thấy trận hình của mình bị các Pāṇḍava và người Pāñcāla phá vỡ, Droṇa—bậc dũng tướng—không còn dốc sức ngăn chặn Śaineya (Sātyaki) nữa; ông quay sang bảo vệ chính trận hình ấy.

Word by Word

• पाण्डु-पाञ्चाल-सम्भिन्नम्: broken by the Pāṇḍavas and the Pāñcālas
• पाण्डु-पाञ्चाल-सम्भिन्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्भिन्न (भिद् धातु, क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यूहम्: battle-formation
• व्यूहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आलोक्य: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: आलोक् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• वीर्यवान्: the mighty one
• वीर्यवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्यवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शैनेये: with regard to Śaineya (Sātyaki)
• शैनेये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैनेय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

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

• अकरोत्: did (make)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यूहम्: the formation
• व्यूहम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यूह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभ्यरक्षत्: protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु) उपसर्ग: अभि
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular

• पराक्रमी: the valiant one
• पराक्रमी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक्रमिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रोणः: Droṇa
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa
• Pāṇḍavas
• Pāñcālas
• Śaineya (Sātyaki)
• vyūha (battle-formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In a collapsing situation, a leader must prioritize the greater responsibility—protecting the collective structure (the army’s formation) over personal rivalry with a single foe. The verse highlights strategic dharma: choosing what preserves the larger order when circumstances change.

What is happening in the narrative?

Droṇa sees his formation breached by the combined Pāṇḍava–Pāñcāla forces. Because the array is breaking, he stops trying to restrain Sātyaki (Śaineya) and instead focuses on defending and restoring the vyūha.