Shloka 17

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्त्वा सहसाभ्यधाव- न्रिहन्तुकामोडतिबलस्तरस्वी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | ityevam uktvā sahasābhyadhāvan nihantukāmo ’tibalastarassvī |

Translation

قال سانجيا: فلما قال ذلك، اندفع المحارب شديد القوة سريع العدو، وقد عقد العزم على القتل، اندفاعًا مفاجئًا إلى الأمام. وبإرادةٍ ضارية في قلب المعركة تحرّك ليصرع خصمه—فعلٌ يزيد توتر الحرب الأخلاقي، حيث تتزاحم النذور والغضب والقصاص على حدود السلوك القويم.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• एवम्: in this manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), active, prior action (having said)

• सहसा: suddenly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• अभ्यधावत्: ran towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव्
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), past, 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• नृ: man (hero)
• नृ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ
• Form: masculine, accusative (as compound member), singular

• हन्तु: to kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), active

• कामः: desire
• कामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• अतिबलः: very strong
• अतिबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिबल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तरस्वी: swift, impetuous
• तरस्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरस्विन्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how speech and intention immediately translate into action in war: a warrior’s resolve (especially vengeance) can propel him into sudden violence, raising ethical questions about whether anger-driven acts remain within dharma even on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, after speaking, a very strong and swift warrior—intent on killing—suddenly rushes forward toward his target, signaling an imminent, decisive assault.