Mahabharata 7.23.43 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 23, Shloka 43

द्रोणवध-प्रश्नः

Droṇa’s Fall: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Inquiry

Devanagari script

प्रभद्रकास्तु काम्बोजा: षट्सहस्राण्युदायुधा: । नानावर्णहयै: श्रेष्ठेहेमवर्णरथध्वजा:

Transliteration

prabhadrakās tu kāmbojāḥ ṣaṭsahasrāṇy udāyudhāḥ | nānāvṛṇahayaḥ śreṣṭhā hemavarṇarathadhvajāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Ngoài ra còn có sáu nghìn chiến binh Kāmboja mang danh Prabhadraka, vũ trang đầy đủ, tiến lên. Xe và cờ của họ ánh sắc vàng, ách vào những tuấn mã thượng hạng đủ màu. Họ giương cung, bắn mưa tên khiến quân địch run sợ, và theo sát Dhṛṣṭadyumna, đồng lòng sẵn sàng đón nhận cái chết.

Word by Word

• प्रभद्रकाः: Prabhadrakas (a troop/people-name)
• प्रभद्रकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभद्रक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तु: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• काम्बोजाः: Kambojas
• काम्बोजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्बोज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• षट्: six
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• उदायुधाः: with weapons raised/ready-armed
• उदायुधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-आयुध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नाना-वर्ण-हयैः: with horses of various colors
• नाना-वर्ण-हयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाना + वर्ण + हय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्रेष्ठैः: excellent/best
• श्रेष्ठैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हेम-वर्ण-रथ-ध्वजाः: having chariots and banners of golden color
• हेम-वर्ण-रथ-ध्वजाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम + वर्ण + रथ + ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Prabhadrakas
• Kāmbojas
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• chariots (ratha)
• banners/standards (dhvaja)
• horses (haya)
• bows and arrows (implied by narrative gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of disciplined courage: warriors advance in ordered unity, accepting the possibility of death without wavering, and using their martial skill to protect their side and fulfill their chosen duty in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes an additional contingent: six thousand Kāmboja fighters called the Prabhadrakas. Well-equipped with chariots, banners, and fine horses, they follow behind Dhṛṣṭadyumna, drawing bows and sending arrows that terrify the opposing forces.