Mahabharata · 7.70.29–30
॥
Devanāgarī
रथं नागं हयं चापि पत्तिनश् च विशां पते ॥
एकैकेनेषुणा संख्ये निर्बिभेद महारथः ॥
पाण्डवानां तु सैन्येषु नास्ति कश् चित् स भारत ॥
दधार यो रणे बाणान् द्रोणचापच्युताञ् शितान् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rathaṃ nāgaṃ hayaṃ cāpi pattinaś ca viśāṃ pate ||
ekaikeneṣuṇā saṃkhye nirbibheda mahārathaḥ ||
pāṇḍavānāṃ tu sainyeṣu nāsti kaś cit sa bhārata ||
dadhāra yo raṇe bāṇān droṇacāpacyutāñ śitān ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
रथम् नागम् हयम् च अपिratham nāgam hayam ca apia chariot, an elephant, and a horse; a chariot, an elephant, and a horse
पत्तिनः च विशां पतेpattinaḥ ca viśāṃ pateand foot soldiers, O lord of peoples; and foot soldiers, O lord of the people
एकैकेन इषुणा संख्येekaikena iṣuṇā saṃkhyeeach with a single arrow in battle; each with a single arrow in the fight
निर्बिभेद महारथःnirbibheda mahārathaḥthe great warrior pierced; the great chariot-fighter pierced
पाण्डवानाम् तु सैन्येषुpāṇḍavānām tu sainyeṣuyet in the armies of the Pandavas; yet in the ranks of the Pandavas
न अस्ति कः चित् भारतna asti kaḥ cit bhāratathere is none, O Bharata; there is none, O Bharata
दधार यः रणे बाणान्dadhāra yaḥ raṇe bāṇānwho could withstand in battle the arrows; who could withstand in the fight the arrows
द्रोणचापच्युतान् शितान्droṇacāpacyutān śitānsharp, loosed from Drona's bow; sharp, from Drona's bow
Translation
A chariot, an elephant, a horse, and foot soldiers alike — each one, O lord of peoples, the great warrior pierced with a single arrow in battle. Yet among the armies of the Pandavas there is none, O Bharata, who could withstand in battle the sharp arrows loosed from Drona's bow.
Version
67d3d293142c · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Drona's mastery is such that "ekaikena ishuna" — with a single arrow — he pierces each foe, and none can bear his shafts. The teacher's perfection stands at its zenith. It is telling that this unmatched skill is the very fruit of the training by which he raised Arjuna himself. The verse teaches that a teacher's gift shows two faces: the same art he gave his pupils now turns against them; and supreme skill, set on the wrong side, makes the teacher a terror to his own disciples — the bitter fate of a gift parted from truth.