Mahabharata · 7.20.5–6
॥
Devanāgarī
ततः सत्यजितं तीक्ष्णैर् दशभिर् मर्मभेदिभिः ॥
अविध्यच् छीघ्रम् आचार्यश् छित्त्वास्य सशरं धनुः ॥
स शीघ्रतरम् आदाय धनुर् अन्यत् प्रतापवान् ॥
द्रोणं सो ऽभिजघानाशु विंशद्भिः कङ्कपत्रिभिः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tataḥ satyajitaṃ tīkṣṇair daśabhir marmabhedibhiḥ ||
avidhyac chīghram ācāryaś chittvāsya saśaraṃ dhanuḥ ||
sa śīghrataram ādāya dhanur anyat pratāpavān ||
droṇaṃ so 'bhijaghānāśu viṃśadbhiḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
ततःtataḥthen; thereupon
सत्यजितम्satyajitamSatyajit; Satyajit
तीक्ष्णैःtīkṣṇaiḥwith sharp; with keen-edged
दशभिःdaśabhiḥwith ten [arrows]; with ten [arrows]
मर्मभेदिभिःmarmabhedibhiḥpiercing the vital spots [striking the vulnerable points]; striking the vital points
अविध्यत्avidhyatpierced [struck]; wounded
शीघ्रम्śīghramswiftly [quickly]; rapidly
आचार्यःācāryaḥthe teacher [Drona]; the preceptor
छित्त्वाchittvāhaving severed [broken]; having shattered
अस्यasyahis; [his]
सशरम्saśaramtogether with the arrow [with the arrow on the string]; [together] with the arrow
धनुःdhanuḥbow; bow
सःsaḥhe [Satyajit]; that one
शीघ्रतरम्śīghrataramstill more swiftly; even faster
आदायādāyahaving taken; having seized
धनुः अन्यत्dhanuḥ anyatanother bow; another bow
प्रतापवान्pratāpavānvaliant [mighty]; valiant
द्रोणम्droṇam[at] Drona; Drona
सःsaḥhe; he
अभिजघानabhijaghānastruck [wounded]; struck
आशुāśuquickly [at once]; at once
विंशद्भिःviṃśadbhiḥwith twenty [arrows]; with twenty
कङ्कपत्रिभिःkaṅkapatribhiḥ[arrows] fletched with heron feathers; fletched with kanka feathers
Translation
Then the teacher swiftly wounded Satyajit with ten keen-edged arrows striking his vital points, shattering his bow together with the arrow upon it. But he, the valiant one, seizing another bow still more swiftly, at once struck Drona with twenty arrows fletched with heron feathers.
Version
e95b9f591910 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Drona shatters his bow — Satyajit seizes another "still more swiftly" and answers twofold: for ten arrows, twenty. In this instant composure a valor reveals itself that is not lost by the loss of a weapon. It is notable that the warrior deprived of his bow neither retreats nor delays, but turns the very loss into an occasion for redoubled effort. The verse teaches that the measure of a hero lies not in never having his weapon knocked away, but in how quickly he rises after the blow; that resourcefulness and swiftness of spirit make up for the loss of equipment; and that one who answers a setback not with despondency but with increased force turns an obstacle into a step toward something greater.