Shloka 20

Adhyāya 18 — Sequential Duels and Formation Pressure

Ulūka–Yuyutsu; Śakuni–Sutasoma; Kṛpa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Kṛtavarmā–Śikhaṇḍin

Devanagari script

उहामाना रथाश्रेभै: पत्तयश्न जिघांसव: । समभ्यधावन्नस्यन्तो विविध॑ क्षिप्रमायुधम्‌

Transliteration

ūhamānā rathāśrebhaiḥ pattayaś ca jighāṃsavaḥ | samabhyadhāvann asyanto vividhaṃ kṣipram āyudham ||

Translation

قال سانجيا: وقد تملّكهم شوقُ القتل، اندفع المشاةُ وأفاضلُ مقاتلي العربات معًا، يرمون على عَجَلٍ شتى صنوف السلاح.

Word by Word

• ऊहमानाः: rushing/pressing on (advancing)
• ऊहमानाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: ऊह् (धातु) / ऊहमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान (शतृ/शानच्-प्रयोग), आत्मनेपद (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• रथाश्वेभ्यः: from chariots and horses
• रथाश्वेभ्यः: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + अश्व
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन

• पत्तयः: foot-soldiers
• पत्तयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• जिघांसवः: desiring to kill
• जिघांसवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) / जिघांसु (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• समभ्यधावन्: they rushed/charged towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु) + सम् + अभि
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अस्यन्तः: hurling/casting
• अस्यन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु) (क्षेपणे) / अस्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान (शतृ-प्रयोग), परस्मैपद (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विविधम्: various (kinds of)
• विविधम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• आयुधम्: weapon(s)
• आयुधम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुध
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ratha (chariot)
• patti (infantry)
• āyudha (weapons)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the momentum of war: when the aim becomes killing, groups act in concert and speed replaces deliberation. Ethically, it illustrates how intention (jighāṃsā—desire to slay) shapes action and how battlefield duty can slide into sheer violence if not tempered by discernment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a sudden charge: elite chariot-fighters and infantry surge forward together, rapidly launching many kinds of weapons at their opponents, intensifying the clash in Karṇa Parva.