Shloka 306

Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

हृष्टवद्‌ धार्तराष्ट्राणां पश्यताम भ्यवर्षताम्‌ | सात्यकि और भूरिश्रवा दोनों परस्पर बाणोंकी बौछार कर रहे थे और धृतराष्ट्रके सभी पुत्र हर्षमें भरकर उनके युद्धका दृश्य देख रहे थे

Transliteration

hṛṣṭavad dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṁ paśyatām abhyavarṣatām | sātyakiś ca bhūriśravāś ca parasparaṁ bāṇānāṁ vṛṣṭim avarṣatām ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: وبينما كان جميع أبناء دريتاراشترا (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) ينظرون مبتهجين، كان ساتياكي (Sātyaki) وبھوريشرافا (Bhūriśravā) يمطر أحدهما الآخر بوابلٍ من السهام.

Word by Word

• हृष्टवत्: joyful, delighted
• हृष्टवत्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्टवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• धार्तराष्ट्राणाम्: of the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• धार्तराष्ट्राणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पश्यताम्: while (they were) watching / of those watching
• पश्यताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अभ्यवर्षताम्: they two showered (arrows) upon each other
• अभ्यवर्षताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhārtarāṣṭras (Kaurava princes)
• Sātyaki
• Bhūriśravā
• bāṇa (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse implicitly critiques the moral numbness that can arise in war: observers may feel exhilaration at violence, treating suffering as entertainment. It invites reflection on dharma—how one’s inner disposition (rejoicing in harm) shapes ethical responsibility even without directly fighting.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki and Bhūriśravā are locked in a fierce duel, each showering the other with arrows, while Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons watch the combat with delight.