Mahabharata 7.21.9 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

द्रोणस्तु तत्‌ समालोक्य चरितं तस्य संयुगे । मनसा चिन्तयामास प्राप्तकालमरिंदम:,तब शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले द्रोणाचार्यने युद्धस्थलमें उसका वह पराक्रम देख मन- ही-मन समयोचित कर्तव्यका चिन्तन किया

Transliteration

droṇas tu tat samālokya caritaṁ tasya saṁyuge | manasā cintayāmāsa prāptakālam ariṁdamaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说：见那战士在战场上的举止与威勇，敌摧者德罗那阿阇黎便在心中沉思：此刻何举才合时宜、最为得当。

Word by Word

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• तत्: that (deed/act)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समालोक्य: having observed/seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + लोक्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada/Active (usage)

• चरितम्: conduct/deed/feat
• चरितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तस्य: of him/of that one
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• मनसा: with the mind/mentally
• मनसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• चिन्तयामास: thought/reflected
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त्
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्राप्तकालम्: timely; appropriate to the occasion
• प्राप्तकालम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्तकाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अरिंदमः: enemy-subduer (Drona)
• अरिंदमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights prudent leadership: after witnessing an opponent’s prowess, a commander should pause for inner deliberation and choose the action that is prāptakāla—ethically and strategically appropriate to the time and circumstance—rather than reacting impulsively.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Droṇa observes a warrior’s notable performance in the ongoing battle and then mentally considers what should be done next, indicating a shift from mere observation to strategic decision-making.