Mahabharata 7.2.28 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 28

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 2: Karṇa’s lament, vow, and battle preparation after Bhīṣma’s fall

Devanagari script

चित्राणि चापानि च वेगवन्ति ज्याक्षोत्तमा: संनहनोपपन्ना: । तूणांश्न पूर्णानू महतः शराणा- मासाद्य गात्रावरणानि चैव

Transliteration

citrāṇi cāpāni ca vegavanti jyākṣottamāḥ saṃnahanopapannāḥ | tūṇāṃś ca pūrṇān mahataḥ śarāṇām āsādya gātrāvaraṇāni caiva ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: “Hãy cầm lấy những cây cung rực rỡ, bắn nhanh như gió; hãy căng những dây cung thượng hạng và trang bị đầy đủ cho chiến trận. Hãy đeo những ống tên lớn đầy ắp mũi tên, và khoác lên mình áo giáp che chở thân thể—chuẩn bị ngay, chớ chần chừ.”

Word by Word

• चित्राणि: variegated, splendid
• चित्राणि: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• आपानि: bows
• आपानि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• वेगवन्ति: swift, forceful
• वेगवन्ति: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगवत्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Plural

• ज्याक्षोत्तमाः: excellent bowstrings
• ज्याक्षोत्तमाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्याक्षोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• संनहनोपपन्नाः: equipped with fastening/strapping (well-fitted)
• संनहनोपपन्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनहनोपपन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तूणांश्च: quivers
• तूणांश्च: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तूण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पूर्णान्: filled, full
• पूर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महतः: of great (size)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शराणाम्: of arrows
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• आसाद्य: having taken/obtained, having reached
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• गात्रावरणानि: body-coverings, armor
• गात्रावरणानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्रावरण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bows (cāpa)
• bowstrings (jyā)
• quivers (tūṇa)
• arrows (śara)
• body-protections/armour (gātrāvaraṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes disciplined readiness and proper equipment in the performance of one’s appointed duty (especially kṣatriya duty in war), highlighting that action should be undertaken with preparedness rather than haste or negligence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a call to immediate military preparation: warriors are instructed to take up swift bows, fit excellent bowstrings, secure large quivers full of arrows, and put on protective armour—signaling the onset of organized battle activity in the Droṇa campaign.