Mahabharata 7.21.32 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

नागानश्वान्‌ पदातींक्ष रथिनो गजसादिन: । रौद्रा हस्तवता मुक्ता: प्रमथ्नन्ति सम सायका:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

nāgān aśvān padātīṃś ca rathino gajasādinaḥ |

raudrā hastavatā muktāḥ pramathnanti sma sāyakāḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：德罗那阿阇梨以迅捷而娴熟的手法放出的可怖箭矢，碾碎并搅乱诸军行列——象、马、步卒、车战之士与乘象者，尽皆同受其害。

Word by Word

• नागान्: elephants
• नागान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पदातीन्: foot-soldiers
• पदातीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• रथिनः: chariot-warriors
• रथिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• गजसादिनः: elephant-riders
• गजसादिनः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गजसादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रौद्राः: terrible, fierce
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हस्तवता: by/with (one) having a swift hand
• हस्तवता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्तवत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• मुक्ताः: released, discharged
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रमथ्नन्ति: they crush/churn/destroy
• Type: Verb
• Root: मथ्
• Form: Present (Lat), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• सम्: completely, together (as preverb/intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• सायकाः: arrows
• सायकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇācārya
• sāyakāḥ (arrows)
• nāgāḥ (elephants)
• aśvāḥ (horses)
• padātayaḥ (infantry)
• rathinaḥ (chariot-warriors)
• gajasādinaḥ (elephant-riders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the morally sobering reality of war: exceptional prowess, when applied in battle, becomes a sweeping force that can devastate every class of combatant. It implicitly invites reflection on the cost of kṣatriya-duty when expressed through relentless violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Droṇācārya’s rapid, skillful archery. His fierce arrows are striking and breaking up the opposing formations, cutting down elephants, horses, infantry, chariot-fighters, and elephant-mounted warriors.