Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 14

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

आचार्यस्य तु पाण्डूनां ब्राह्मणस्य तपस्विन:

Transliteration

ācāryasya tu pāṇḍūnāṃ brāhmaṇasya tapasvinaḥ | tripuraghnaratho yadvad govṛṣeṇa virājatā ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“般度族的导师——一位苦行的婆罗门——其巨大战车的旗帜上饰有华美的公牛徽记。大王啊，那宏伟战车因牛纹而更显辉煌，正如摧毁三城的摩诃提婆之车，亦以尊贵的牛之标志而增光。”

Word by Word

• आचार्यस्य: of the teacher
• आचार्यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्य
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

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

• पाण्डूनाम्: of the sons of Pāṇḍu (Pāṇḍavas)
• पाण्डूनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of the brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• तपस्विनः: of the ascetic
• तपस्विनः: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• त्रिपुरघ्न: Tripura-slayer (epithet of Śiva)
• त्रिपुरघ्न: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिपुरघ्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथः: chariot
• रथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यद्वत्: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत्

• गोवृषेण: by/with the bull (emblem)
• गोवृषेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोवृष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विराजता: shines/is resplendent
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-राज्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kṛpācārya (Gautama-gotra)
• Śiva (Mahādeva, Tripuraghna)
• Tripura
• chariot
• banner/standard (dhvaja)
• bull emblem (vṛṣabha-cihna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how symbols on a warrior’s banner can carry ethical and religious resonance: Kṛpa’s bull emblem evokes steadiness, righteous authority, and disciplined strength, aligning martial action with dharma rather than mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the appearance of the Pāṇḍavas’ preceptor Kṛpa on the battlefield, focusing on his chariot and its bull-marked banner, and compares its splendor to Śiva’s famed chariot associated with the destruction of Tripura.