Mahabharata 7.38.2 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 38, Shloka 2

अभिमन्यु-पराक्रमवर्णनम्

Abhimanyu’s Prowess and the Duḥśāsana Engagement

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच शृणु राजन्‌ कुमारस्य रणे विक्रीडितं महत्‌ । बिभित्सतो रथानीकं भारद्वाजेन रक्षितम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

śṛṇu rājan kumārasya raṇe vikrīḍitaṁ mahat |

bibhitsato rathānīkaṁ bhāradvājena rakṣitam ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Tâu Đại vương, xin hãy nghe về cuộc “vui chơi chiến trận” hùng vĩ của vị hoàng tử trên chiến địa. Chàng quyết tâm phá thủng khối chiến xa dày đặc được Bhāradvāja (Droṇa) che chở, mong đập tan thế trận phòng hộ ấy.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शृणु: hear, listen
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कुमारस्य: of the prince
• कुमारस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विक्रीडितम्: sporting/feats (performed)
• विक्रीडितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√क्रीड्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great, mighty
• महत्: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बिभित्सतः: of (him) wishing to split/tear
• बिभित्सतः: Sambandha
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भिद्
• Form: Desiderative present participle (san + शतृ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• रथानीकम्: the chariot-division/array
• रथानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भारद्वाजेन: by Bharadvaja (Drona)
• भारद्वाजेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारद्वाज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• रक्षितम्: protected, guarded
• रक्षितम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष्
• Form: Past passive participle (kta), Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by rājan)
• kumāra (the prince; contextually Abhimanyu)
• Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of courageous resolve—entering a guarded enemy formation despite danger—while also reminding the listener that war, though described as 'sport,' is a grave arena where duty, discipline, and ethical stakes are inseparable.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya begins describing to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra the great battlefield exploits of the young prince (Abhimanyu), who aims to break through a chariot-host protected by Droṇa (called Bhāradvāja).