Mahabharata 7.161.4636 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 4636

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

आयान्तं वीक्ष्य कौन्तेयं शक्रं दैत्यचमूमिव । तब दैत्य-सेनापर आक्रमण करनेवाले इन्द्रके समान अर्जुनको कौरव-सेनाकी ओर आते देख अभश्वत्थामा

Transliteration

āyāntaṃ vīkṣya kaunteyaṃ śakraṃ daityacamūm iva | tadā daityasenāpara ākramaṇakaraṇe indrasamaṃ arjunaṃ kauravasenāyāḥ oraṃ āyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvā aśvatthāmā kṛpācāryaḥ śalyaḥ mahārathī kṛtavarmā ca sūtaputrasya rakṣāṃ kartum icchayā arjunasya samīpaṃ pratīcchituṃ agre pratyudyayuḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Thấy con của Kuntī (Arjuna) tiến đến—như Indra xông vào đội quân Dānava—các dũng sĩ Kaurava trông thấy Arjuna, Indra-like trong thế công kích, đang hướng về trận doanh của họ. Muốn bảo hộ người con của Sūta (Karna), Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, Śalya và đại xa chiến binh Kṛtavarman liền bước lên phía trước để nghênh chiến Arjuna.

Word by Word

• आयान्तम्: coming, approaching
• आयान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (अव्ययभाव/ल्यप्), absolutive (having seen)

• कौन्तेयम्: the son of Kunti (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्रम्: Indra
• शक्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दैत्यचमूम्: the army of the Daityas
• दैत्यचमूम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्यचमू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Kaunteya)
• Indra (Śakra)
• Daityas/Dānavas
• Kaurava army
• Aśvatthāmā
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Śalya
• Kṛtavarman
• Karṇa (Sūtaputra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield dharma of solidarity: warriors are bound to protect their ally (here, Karṇa) even at personal risk. It also frames ethical tension—valor and duty expressed through collective defense—within the larger tragedy of fratricidal war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is seen advancing toward the Kaurava forces with Indra-like ferocity. In response, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, Śalya, and Kṛtavarman move forward to intercept him, motivated by the immediate need to shield Karṇa from Arjuna’s attack.