Shloka 36

अर्जुनस्य गुरुधर्मविलापः तथा शैनेयकर्णयोर्युद्धारम्भः | Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki–Karṇa Duel

Devanagari script

शैनेय: श्येनवत्‌ संख्ये व्यचरल्लघुविक्रम: । उस युद्धस्थलमें शीघ्रतापूर्वक पराक्रम करनेवाले शिनिवंशी सात्यकि अपने अत्यन्त तेज बाणोंद्वारा शत्रुओंको गहरी चोट पहुँचाकर बाजके समान सब ओर विचरने लगे ।। ३५ हे || सौबलस्य धनुश्कछित्त्वा हस्तावापं निकृत्य च

Transliteration

śaineyaḥ śyenavat saṅkhye vyacaral laghu-vikramaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Mitten im Kampf bewegte sich Śaineya (Sātyaki), schnell an Tatkraft, wie ein Falke—er traf die Feinde mit scharfen, lodernden Pfeilen und durchmaß in raschem Lauf das Schlachtfeld. Das Bild betont disziplinierte Kriegskraft: Schnelligkeit und Präzision im Dienst der unmittelbaren Pflicht des Gefechts, nicht persönlicher Grausamkeit.

Word by Word

शैनेयःthe son of Śini (Sātyaki)

श्येनवत्like a hawk

संख्येin battle

व्यचरत्moved about, ranged

लघु-विक्रमःswift in prowess

सौबलस्यof Saubala (Śakuni)

धनुःbow

छित्त्वाhaving cut

हस्तौboth hands

आपम्grasp/hold (uncertain; text likely corrupt)

निकृत्यhaving cut off, having mutilated

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Śaineya (Sātyaki)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma expressed as controlled, purposeful courage: swiftness and skill are portrayed as virtues when aligned with one’s role and the demands of the battlefield, not as reckless violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Sātyaki (Śaineya) moving rapidly through the battle like a hawk, wounding enemies with sharp arrows and ranging across the field with quick, effective strikes.