Shloka 10

कुण्जराश्वनरानन्ये पातयन्ति सम पत्रिभि: | तालमात्राणि चापानि विकर्षन्तो महारथा:,बहुत-से दूसरे महारथी चार हाथके धनुष खींचते हुए अपने पंखयुक्त बाणोंद्वारा हाथी, घोड़े और पैदल मनुष्योंको मार गिराते थे

kuñjarāśvanarān anye pātayanti sama-patribhiḥ | tāla-mātrāṇi cāpāni vikarṣanto mahā-rathāḥ ||

Sañjaya sprach: Andere große Wagenkämpfer spannten Bögen, so lang wie eine Tāla-Palme, und streckten mit befiederten Pfeilen Elefanten, Pferde und Fußsoldaten nieder. Die Szene betont die unpersönliche, alles hinwegfegende Gewalt der Schlacht, in der Können und Waffen Lebewesen massenhaft fällen und die ethische Spannung zwischen Kriegsdienst und menschlichem Preis der Gewalt steigern.

कुञ्जरelephants
कुञ्जर:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुञ्जर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अश्वhorses
अश्व:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
नरान्men (foot-soldiers)
नरान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अन्येothers
अन्ये:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
पातयन्तिcause to fall; strike down
पातयन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootपत् (पतति)
FormPresent, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिजन्त)
सम्together; completely
सम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम्
पत्रिभिःwith feathered (arrows)
पत्रिभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootपत्रिन्
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
तालमात्राणिof palm-tree measure (i.e., very large/long)
तालमात्राणि:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootतालमात्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
चापानिbows
चापानि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootचाप
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
विकर्षन्तःdrawing (back)
विकर्षन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-√कृष्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
महारथाःgreat chariot-warriors
महारथाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहारथ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
M
mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
B
bows (cāpa)
F
feathered arrows (patrin)
E
elephants (kuñjara)
H
horses (aśva)
F
foot-soldiers/men (nara)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the overwhelming momentum of war and the power of trained warriors, implicitly sharpening the Mahābhārata’s ethical tension: even when fighting is framed as duty (kṣatriya-dharma), the destruction of many lives remains a grave moral reality.

Sañjaya reports that numerous elite warriors are drawing very large bows and shooting feathered arrows, bringing down elephants, horses, and infantry on the battlefield—an image of intense, large-scale combat.