Mahabharata 7.25.60 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 25, Shloka 60

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 25 — Bhīma’s Disruption of Elephant Formations and Bhagadatta’s Shock Advance

Devanagari script

आतुदन्‌ प्ररुजन्‌ भज्जन्‌ निध्नन्‌ विद्रावयन्‌ क्षिपन्‌ | सेनां विभीषयन्नायाद्‌ द्रौणप्रेप्सुर्घटोत्कच:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

ātudan prarujan bhajjan nidhnan vidrāvayan kṣipan |

senāṃ vibhīṣayann āyād drauṇaprepsur ghaṭotkacaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Ghaṭotkaca tiến lên, quyết bắt lấy con trai của Droṇa. Hắn đánh, nghiền, đập vỡ, giết, xua tan và quăng quật người ta, gieo kinh hoàng khắp đạo quân. Trong bầu không khí đạo lý u ám của chiến tranh, cuộc xông tới ấy biểu hiện sự leo thang bạo lực—lấy nỗi sợ làm vũ khí và lấy sức mạnh để bẻ gãy ý chí đối phương—nhưng vẫn bị ràng buộc bởi luật lệ nghiệt ngã của chiến địa: phải khuất phục đạo quân đối địch.

Word by Word

• आतुदन्: he struck/tormented
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-तुद्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्ररुजन्: he broke/crushed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-रुज्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भज्जन्: he shattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: भञ्ज्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• निध्नन्: he slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• विद्रावयन्: causing (them) to flee
• विद्रावयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-द्रु (causative: द्रावयति)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षिपन्: hurling/throwing
• क्षिपन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सेनाम्: the army
• सेनाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• विभीषयन्: terrifying
• विभीषयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भी (causative: भीषयति)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आयात्: he came/approached
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-या
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• द्रौणम्: Drona (Dronacharya)
• द्रौणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौण (द्रोणस्य अपत्यं/सम्बन्धी; here: द्रोणाचार्य)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेप्सुः: wishing to seize/obtain
• प्रेप्सुः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (desiderative: प्रेप्सु)
• Form: Desiderative adjective (प्रेप्सु), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• घटोत्कचः: Ghaṭotkaca
• घटोत्कचः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: घटोत्कच
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Ghaṭotkaca
• Drauṇa (Aśvatthāman)
• Kaurava army

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how fear and overwhelming force function as instruments in war; ethically, it underscores the tragic momentum of violence where victory is pursued by breaking the enemy’s cohesion and morale.

What is happening in the narrative?

Ghaṭotkaca charges into the battlefield, wreaking havoc and terrifying the opposing host, specifically aiming to seize Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman).