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Shloka 39

(तथा पुनर्जघानाशु पाण्डवानां महारथान्‌ | शरैरशनिकल्पैश्न शिताग्रैश्न सुपर्वभि: ।।

sañjaya uvāca |

tathā punar jaghānāśu pāṇḍavānāṁ mahārathān |

śarair aśanikalpaiś ca śitāgraiś ca suparvabhiḥ ||

Sañjaya sprach: Dann wiederum schlug er mit jäher Wucht die großen Wagenkämpfer der Pāṇḍavas nieder und überschüttete sie mit Pfeilen wie mit Donnerschlägen—spitz, scharf und fest gefügt—sodass das Schlachtfeld sich in einen Sturm aus Eisen zu verwandeln schien. Die Stelle betont den moralischen Druck des Krieges: Selbst die Mächtigsten werden durch unablässige Gewalt verwundbar, und die Pflicht zu schützen fällt denen zu, die Verbündete aus der Verzweiflung zu retten vermögen.

तथाthus, in that manner
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
जघानstruck, smote, slew
जघान:
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (√हन्)
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada
आशुquickly
आशु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआशु
पाण्डवानाम्of the Pāṇḍavas
पाण्डवानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
Formmasculine, genitive, plural
महारथान्great chariot-warriors
महारथान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहारथ
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
शरैःwith arrows
शरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural
अशनिकल्पैःlike thunderbolts
अशनिकल्पैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootअशनिकल्प
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural
शिताग्रैःsharp-pointed
शिताग्रैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootशिताग्र
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural
सुपर्वभिःwell-jointed (well-barbed/with good nodes)
सुपर्वभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसुपर्वन्
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
P
Pāṇḍavas
M
mahārathas
A
arrows (śara)
T
thunderbolt (aśani)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the harsh reality of dharma in war: skill and duty manifest as relentless force, yet such force creates suffering that demands counter-duty—protection and rescue of one’s side. It frames martial excellence as ethically weighty, not merely triumphant.

Sañjaya reports that the opposing commander again rapidly assails the Pāṇḍava elite with thunderbolt-like, sharp, well-made arrows, intensifying the crisis on the battlefield and setting the stage for a response by protectors on the Pāṇḍava side.