Mahabharata · 7.72.26–27
॥
Devanāgarī
खड्गेन चरतस् तस्य शोणाश्वान् अधितिष्ठतः ॥
न ददर्शान्तरं द्रोणस् तद् अद्भुतम् इवाभवत् ॥
यथा श्येनस्य पतनं वनेष्व् आमिषगृद्धिनः ॥
तथैवासीद् अभीसारस् तस्य द्रोणं जिघांसतः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
khaḍgena caratas tasya śoṇāśvān adhitiṣṭhataḥ ||
na dadarśāntaraṃ droṇas tad adbhutam ivābhavat ||
yathā śyenasya patanaṃ vaneṣv āmiṣagṛddhinaḥ ||
tathaivāsīd abhīsāras tasya droṇaṃ jighāṃsataḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
खड्गेन चरतः तस्यkhaḍgena carataḥ tasya[of] him, moving with his sword; of him, moving with his sword
शोणाश्वान् अधितिष्ठतःśoṇāśvān adhitiṣṭhataḥstanding upon the bay horses; standing upon the bay horses
न ददर्श अन्तरम् द्रोणःna dadarśa antaram droṇaḥDrona found no opening; Drona found no opening
तत् अद्भुतम् इव अभवत्tat adbhutam iva abhavatthat was as if a wonder; that was as if a wonder
यथा श्येनस्य पतनम्yathā śyenasya patanamlike the swoop [stoop] of a hawk; like the stoop of a hawk
वनेषु आमिषगृद्धिनःvaneṣu āmiṣagṛddhinaḥin the forests, craving flesh; in the forests, craving flesh
तथा एव आसीत् अभीसारःtathā eva āsīt abhīsāraḥsuch was the onslaught; such was the onslaught
तस्य द्रोणम् जिघांसतःtasya droṇam jighāṃsataḥof him, craving to slay Drona; of him, craving to slay Drona
Translation
In him, moving with his sword, standing upon the bay horses, Drona found no opening -- that was as if a wonder. Like the stoop of a hawk in the forests, craving flesh, such was the onslaught of him who craved to slay Drona.
Version
d5ff4814452f · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:52:56 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Even Drona 'na dadarśa antaram,' finds no gap in Dhrishtadyumna: the disciple destined to slay him is as flawless as his victim. The image 'śyenasya patanam,' the stoop of a hawk, paints the swiftness of the attack. It is significant that the one appointed to strike down Drona is not inferior to him in perfection. The verse teaches that the instrument of fate grows to match the one it is destined to slay: Dhrishtadyumna is as flawless as Drona; and in this flawlessness is a sign that the outcome is foreordained, for fate equips its executor with all that is needed to carry out what is appointed.