Shloka 14

Daśame’hani Bhīṣma-yuddham — Śikhaṇḍī-rakṣaṇa, Arjuna-prabhāva, Duryodhana-āśraya-vākyam

Devanagari script

ते वध्यमाना: पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये । पार्थमेवाभ्यवर्तन्त मरणे कृतनिश्चया:

Transliteration

te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena kāleneva yugakṣaye | pārtham evābhyavartanta maraṇe kṛtaniścayāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Obgleich sie von Pārtha niedergestreckt wurden, als wäre es die Zeit selbst am Ende eines Weltzeitalters, stürmten sie dennoch geradewegs auf Pārtha allein zu, zum Tod entschlossen.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वध्यमानाः: being slain
• वध्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध्यमान (√वध्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पार्थेन: by Arjuna (son of Pritha)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• कालेन: by Time
• कालेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• युगक्षये: at the end of an age (yuga)
• युगक्षये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युगक्षय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्थम्: Arjuna
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अभ्यवर्तन्त: they rushed towards / advanced upon
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृत्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मरणे: in death, regarding death
• मरणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कृतनिश्चयाः: having made a resolve; determined
• कृतनिश्चयाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतनिश्चय (कृत + निश्चय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Kāla (Time/Death)
• Yuga-kṣaya (end of the age)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring vision of Kāla (Time) as an irresistible force and portrays a stark kṣatriya ideal: even when defeat is certain, some choose to face the decisive source of danger directly, accepting death rather than retreat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes warriors being cut down by Arjuna with overwhelming force; yet, instead of withdrawing, they press forward against Arjuna himself, seemingly determined to die in direct confrontation.