Mahabharata 7.21.29 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 29

द्रोणविक्रमदर्शनम् / The Display of Droṇa’s Onslaught and the Debate on Pāṇḍava Regrouping

Devanagari script

मत्स्याज्चित्वा3जयच्चेदीन्‌ करूषान्‌ केकयानपि । पज्चालान्‌ सृज्जयान्‌ पाण्डून्‌ भारद्वाज: पुनः पुन:

Transliteration

matsyāñ jitvā jayañ cedīn karūṣān kekayān api | pañcālān sṛñjayān pāṇḍūn bhāradvājaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：他先降伏了摩蹉国的勇士，又击败了支提、迦卢沙与计迦耶诸军；婆罗堕阇之子德罗那一次又一次地冲散并驱逐般遮罗、室利尼阇耶以及般度族的军势。

Word by Word

• मत्स्यान्: the Matsyas (people/warriors of Matsya)
• मत्स्यान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जित्वा: having conquered
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चेदीन्: the Cedis
• चेदीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेदी
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• करूषान्: the Karushas
• करूषान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: करूष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• केकयान्: the Kekayas
• केकयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पाञ्चालान्: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सृञ्जयान्: the Srinjayas
• सृञ्जयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृञ्जय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पाण्डून्: the Pandus (i.e., the Pandavas' side/men)
• पाण्डून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भारद्वाजः: Bharadvaja's son/descendant (Drona)
• भारद्वाजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारद्वाज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Bhāradvāja’s son)
• Matsya
• Cedi
• Karūṣa
• Kekaya
• Pañcāla
• Sṛñjaya
• Pāṇḍavas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the inexorable force of war: repeated victories can arise from skill and command, yet they also intensify the moral weight of the conflict—power used effectively does not by itself resolve the underlying dharmic rupture of fighting one’s own kin and allies.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Droṇa is repeatedly defeating multiple allied contingents of the Pāṇḍavas—Matsya, Cedi, Karūṣa, Kekaya, and then Pañcāla and Sṛñjaya forces—showing Droṇa’s dominance in this phase of the battle.