Shloka 34

Devanagari script

सोडन्यत्‌ कार्मुकमादाय राजपुत्रो बृहद्धल:

Transliteration

soḍanyat kārmukam ādāya rājaputro bṛhaddhalaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Einen anderen Bogen ergreifend, machte sich der Prinz Bṛhaddhala bereit, den Kampf fortzusetzen—ein Bild der Beharrlichkeit im Krieg, da ein Krieger selbst nach Verlust oder Rückschlag seine Pflicht mit erneuertem Entschluss wieder aufnimmt.

Word by Word

• सोडयन्: releasing, letting go
• सोडयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सोडयत् (सोडय् < √सह्)
• Form: present (vartamana), singular, masculine, nominative

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √दा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (sense)

• राजपुत्रः: the prince (king's son)
• राजपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजपुत्र
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• बृहद्धलः: Brihaddhala (proper name)
• बृहद्धलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहद्धल
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bṛhaddhala
• kārmuka (bow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in kṣatriya-dharma: when a weapon is lost or rendered useless, a warrior does not abandon responsibility but adapts and continues, showing resolve and discipline amid adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the prince Bṛhaddhala, after discarding one bow, takes up another bow—signaling an immediate return to combat and readiness to proceed in the ongoing battle.