Mahabharata 7.21.47 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

ते द्रोणं सहिता: शूरा: सर्वतः प्रत्यवारयन्‌ । गभस्तिभिरिवादित्यं तपन्तं भुवनं यथा

Transliteration

te droṇaṃ sahitāḥ śūrāḥ sarvataḥ pratyavārayan | gabhastibhir ivādityaṃ tapantaṃ bhuvanaṃ yathā ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：那些勇士同心合力，从四面围遏德罗纳——正如灼烤诸界的太阳，被自身的光芒所环绕。

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• द्रोणम्: Drona
• द्रोणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहिता: united, together
• सहिता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूरा: heroes, warriors
• शूरा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वतः: from all sides, on all sides
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• प्रत्यवारयन्: warded off, checked, held back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-अव-√वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• गभस्तिभिः: with rays
• गभस्तिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गभस्ति
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• आदित्यम्: the Sun
• आदित्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तपन्तम्: shining/burning, heating
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √तप् (तप्) → तपत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भुवनम्: the world
• भुवनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Droṇa
• Sañjaya
• Āditya (the Sun)
• gabhasti (sun-rays)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how immense power (Droṇa, likened to the scorching sun) can be met not merely by individual valor but by disciplined unity and coordinated restraint. Ethically, it suggests that in a dharmic struggle, unchecked force must be contained through collective responsibility and strategic cooperation.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva battle sequence, a group of brave warriors, acting together, surround and check Droṇa on all sides. Sañjaya describes this containment through a vivid simile: as the blazing sun is encompassed by its own rays, so Droṇa is hemmed in by the warriors closing in around him.