Shloka 44

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

Devanagari script

अशेत निशित: पत्री समरेष्वरिसूदन: । भीष्मद्रोणमुखान्‌ वीरान्‌ योडवमन्ये महारथान्‌

Transliteration

aśeta niśitaḥ patrī samareṣv arisūdanaḥ | bhīṣmadroṇamukhān vīrān yodham anye mahārathān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Auf dem Schlachtfeld lag dort jener scharf befiederte Pfeil—ein Feinderschläger—nachdem er mächtige Krieger niedergeworfen hatte, voran Bhīṣma und Droṇa, und ebenso andere große Wagenkämpfer.

Word by Word

• अशेत: lay (was lying)
• अशेत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), 3, singular, परस्मैपद

• निशितः: sharp
• निशितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• पत्री: winged (arrow)
• पत्री: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• श्वरीसूदनः: slayer of enemies
• श्वरीसूदनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वरीसूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• भीष्मद्रोणमुखान्: having Bhīṣma and Droṇa at the head (i.e., led by them)
• भीष्मद्रोणमुखान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीष्मद्रोणमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• वीरान्: heroes
• वीरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• योधान्: warriors
• योधान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• arrow (śara)
• Bhīṣma
• Droṇa
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark reality that even the greatest heroes can be brought down by a single effective weapon in war, pointing to the fragility of fame and strength and the heavy ethical cost inherent in battlefield duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a sharp, feathered arrow lying on the battlefield after having felled renowned warriors—named foremost as Bhīṣma and Droṇa—along with other great chariot-fighters, emphasizing the lethal aftermath of combat.