Mahabharata 7.188.16 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 188, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि संवार्य लघुहस्तो जितेन्द्रिय:

Transliteration

astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya laghu-hasto jitendriyaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Lấy vũ khí đối vũ khí mà ngăn chặn, chàng giao chiến với đôi tay mau lẹ và các giác quan đã được chế ngự—phô bày nghệ lực được điều phục giữa cơn bạo liệt của chiến địa.

Word by Word

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons/missiles
• अस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अस्त्राणि: weapons/missiles
• अस्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• संवार्य: having warded off/checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + वृ (वृणोति/वृ)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• लघुहस्तः: quick-handed
• लघुहस्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघुहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जितेन्द्रियः: self-controlled (having conquered the senses)
• जितेन्द्रियः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जितेन्द्रिय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in warfare, excellence is not merely force but mastery—skill guided by restraint. The phrase jitendriyaḥ highlights ethical self-governance: disciplined senses prevent rage and cruelty from overruling judgment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior in combat who neutralizes incoming attacks by matching them with appropriate counter-weapons, acting with speed (laghu-hastaḥ) and inner control (jitendriyaḥ).