Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तथैवालायुथो राजन्‌ शिलाधौतैरजिद्दागै: । अभ्यवर्षत कौन्तेयं पुन: पुनररिंदम,शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले नरेश! उसी प्रकार अलायुध भी कुन्तीकुमार भीमसेनपर शिलापर तेज किये हुए बाणोंकी बारंबार वर्षा करने लगा

Transliteration

tathaivālāyutho rājan śilādhautair ajiddāgaiḥ | abhyavarṣat kaunteyaṃ punaḥ punar ariṃdama ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Ebenso, o König—Bezwinger der Feinde—überschüttete Alāyudha den Sohn der Kuntī, Bhīmasena, immer wieder mit einem Hagel von Pfeilen, deren Spitzen am Stein geschärft waren. Durch den unablässigen Angriff steigerte sich die Wut der Schlacht.“

Word by Word

तथाthus, in the same way

एवindeed, just

अलायुधःAlāyudha (a warrior's name)

राजन्O king

शिलाधौतैःwith (arrows) whetted/polished on stone

अजिद्दागैःwith arrows (reading uncertain)

अभ्यवर्षतrained upon, showered

कौन्तेयम्upon the son of Kuntī (Kauṇteya)

पुनःagain

अरिंदमO subduer of foes

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Alāyudha

Kaunteya (Bhīmasena/Bhīma)

arrows

whetstone/stone (śilā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse primarily serves narrative function rather than explicit moral instruction: it highlights relentless martial effort and the kṣatriya arena where endurance and valor are tested. Ethically, it reflects how war drives repeated, escalating violence, emphasizing the cost and intensity of conflict rather than spiritual counsel.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the warrior Alāyudha repeatedly showers Bhīma (Kaunteya) with stone-honed arrows, continuing an intense exchange of missiles and pressing the attack again and again.