Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 29

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

दशमस्त्वर्जुनस्यासीदेक एव महाकपि:

Transliteration

daśamas tv arjunasya āsīd eka eva mahākapiḥ

Translation

三阇耶说道：在阿周那一方，第十位只有一人——摩诃迦毗，那威力无比的巨猿——在队列之间以独一无二、非同寻常的支柱之姿屹立。

Word by Word

• daśamaḥ: the tenth
• daśamaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• arjunasya: of Arjuna
• arjunasya: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: arjuna
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• āsīt: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: as
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ekaḥ: one/single
• ekaḥ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed/only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva

• mahākapiḥ: the great monkey (Hanuman)
• mahākapiḥ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahākapi
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Mahākapi (Hanumān)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the power of singular, extraordinary support aligned with dharma: one great protector (Mahākapi/Hanumān) can equal many, suggesting that righteousness and divine-backed strength are not merely numerical but qualitative.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle, notes that on Arjuna’s side the tenth position was filled by only one figure—Mahākapi—emphasizing his unique presence and exceptional might as a decisive support in the war context.