Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 21

Adhyāya 92: Irāvanta-śoka, punaḥ-pravṛttiḥ saṅgrāmasya

Arjuna’s grief and the battle’s renewed intensity

त्रिधाभूतैरवध्यन्त पाण्डवै: कौरवा युधि । तथैव कौरवै राजन्नवध्यन्त परे रणे,राजन! पाण्डवोंने तीन दलोंमें विभक्त होकर कौरवोंका वध आरम्भ किया। इसी प्रकार कौरव भी रणभूमिमें शत्रुओंका नाश करने लगे

tridhābhūtair avadhyanta pāṇḍavaiḥ kauravā yudhi | tathaiva kauravai rājan avadhyanta pare raṇe ||

Sañjaya sprach: O König, in der Schlacht wurden die Kauravas von den Pāṇḍavas erschlagen, die sich in drei Formationen geteilt hatten. Ebenso, o König, begannen auch die Kauravas auf jenem großen Kampffeld, ihre Feinde zu vernichten.

त्रिधाin three ways / into three divisions
त्रिधा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootत्रिधा
भूतैःhaving become / being (divided)
भूतैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootभूत
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
अवध्यन्तthey slew / killed
अवध्यन्त:
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
FormImperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active
पाण्डवैःby the Pandavas
पाण्डवैः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
कौरवाःthe Kauravas
कौरवाः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकौरव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
युधिin battle
युधि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुध्
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
तथाthus / likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
एवindeed / just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
कौरवैःby the Kauravas
कौरवैः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकौरव
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
अवध्यन्तthey slew / killed
अवध्यन्त:
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
FormImperfect, 3, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active
परेthe others / the enemies
परे:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra
P
Pāṇḍavas
K
Kauravas
B
battlefield (raṇa/yuddha)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the symmetry and inevitability of violence once war begins: each side both kills and is killed. Ethically, it points to the tragic cycle where adherence to factional duty in battle produces mirrored suffering, reminding the listener that victory and loss are intertwined with grave human cost.

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas, arranged in three divisions, are killing Kaurava warriors; simultaneously, the Kauravas are also killing their enemies on the battlefield. It is a concise battlefield update emphasizing intense, two-sided slaughter.