Mahabharata 7.21.30 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

त॑ दहन्तमनीकानि क्रुद्धमग्निं यथा वनम्‌ | दृष्टवा रुक्मरथं वीर॑ समकम्पन्त सूंजया:

Transliteration

taṁ dahantam anīkāni kruddham agniṁ yathā vanam | dṛṣṭvā rukma-rathaṁ vīraṁ samakampanta sūñjayāḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：见那英勇的德罗那——金辉般闪耀的战车之主——在盛怒中焚穿敌军阵列，如烈火吞噬森林，室利尼阇耶一族的战士们也不禁战栗。

Word by Word

• तान्: them (those armies)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• दहन्तम्: burning, scorching
• दहन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनीकानि: armies, battle-formations
• अनीकानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• क्रुद्धम्: enraged
• क्रुद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुध्
• Form: क्त (past participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वनम्: a forest
• वनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• रुक्मरथम्: the one with a golden chariot
• रुक्मरथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्म-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: the hero
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समकम्पन्त: they trembled greatly
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, सम्

• सुञ्जयाः: the Sṛñjayas
• सुञ्जयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुञ्जय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
• Agni (fire, as simile)
• Vana (forest, as simile)
• Sṛñjayas (Sūñjayas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the terrifying power of wrath when joined to martial skill: anger can turn a warrior into a force that indiscriminately consumes armies, like fire consuming a forest. Ethically, it cautions that such fury, even when effective, spreads fear and devastation beyond measured, dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Droṇa advancing in battle, destroying opposing formations with ferocity. His golden chariot and overwhelming assault cause the Sṛñjaya warriors to quake with fear upon seeing him.