Shloka 10

Devanagari script

सुकल्पिता: स्यन्दनवाजिनागा: समास्थिता: कृतयत्नैर्नवीरै: । पार्थेरितैर्बाणशतैर्निरस्ता- स्तैरेव सार्थ नृवरैनिपितु:,सुन्दर सजे-सजाये रथ, घोड़े और हाथी खड़े थे और उनपर प्रयत्नपूर्वक युद्ध करनेवाले नरवीर बैठे थे; परंतु अर्जुनके चलाये हुए सैकड़ों बाणोंसे घायल हो वे सारे वाहन उन नरवीरोंके साथ ही धराशायी हो गये

Transliteration

sukalpitāḥ syandanavājināgāḥ samāsthitāḥ kṛtayatnair navīraiḥ | pārtheritair bāṇaśatair nirastās tair eva sārtha nṛvarair nipetuḥ ||

Translation

قال سنجيا: كانت العربات والخيول والفيلة مُحكمة العُدّة قائمةً على أهبة القتال، يعتليها أبطالٌ جدد يبذلون جهدهم في المعمعة. غير أنّ مئات السهام التي أطلقها بارثا (أرجونا) أصابتها، فطُرحت تلك المركوبات نفسها—مع الفرسان النبلاء الذين عليها—وانهارت إلى الأرض.

Word by Word

सुकल्पिताःwell-arranged, well-equipped

स्यन्दन-वाजि-नागाःchariots, horses, and elephants

समास्थिताःwere stationed/posted

कृत-यत्नैःby those who had made effort (strenuous)

नवीरैःby heroic men/warriors

पार्थ-ईरितैःshot/impelled by Partha (Arjuna)

बाण-शतैःby hundreds of arrows

निरस्ताःwere cast down/overthrown

तैःby them/with those (same)

एवindeed, just, only

सार्थम्together with

नृ-वरैःwith the best of men (warriors)

निपेतुःfell down, collapsed

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

chariots (syandana)

horses (vājin)

elephants (nāga)

arrows (bāṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of worldly strength in war: even well-prepared forces and brave fighters can be instantly undone by superior martial skill. Ethically, it points to the harsh reality of kṣatriya conflict—valor and effort do not guarantee survival, and outcomes often hinge on mastery and circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where well-equipped chariots, horses, and elephants, mounted by eager warriors, are struck by Arjuna’s volleys of arrows. The vehicles and their riders are overthrown together, emphasizing Arjuna’s overwhelming effectiveness.