Shloka 29

Devanagari script

स राक्षसेन्द्रं कौन्तेय: शरवर्षरवाकिरत्‌

Transliteration

sa rākṣasendraṃ kaunteyaḥ śaravarṣa-ravākirat

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da überschüttete der Sohn der Kuntī den Herrn der Rākṣasas mit einem dröhnenden Pfeilregen und trieb die Schlacht mit unerbittlicher Kraft voran.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• राक्षसेन्द्रम्: the lord of the Rakshasas
• राक्षसेन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कौन्तेयः: Kunti's son (Arjuna)
• कौन्तेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरवर्षरवाकिरत्: showered/covered (him) with a rain of arrows, roaring
• Type: Verb
• Root: आकिर् (आ + किर्)
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• कौन्तेय (Kaunteya, son of Kuntī)
• राक्षसेन्द्र (Rākṣasendra, lord of the Rākṣasas)
• शर (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ethos in epic narrative: when confronted by a formidable and unrighteous or fearsome opponent, the warrior responds with disciplined, decisive action. It underscores resolve and strategic intensity in battle rather than moral deliberation in this moment.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Kaunteya attacks the Rākṣasa leader by unleashing a dense volley of arrows, described as a ‘rain’ accompanied by a loud roar—an image of overwhelming martial pressure in the ongoing Kurukṣetra combat.