Shloka 623

Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)

Devanagari script

हतस्यापचितिं भ्रातुश्निकीर्षय्युद्धदुर्मद: । मारे गये भाईका प्रतिशोध लेनेकी इच्छासे वह रणदुर्मद नरश्रेष्ठ वीर बड़ी उतावलीके साथ उन्हें बहुत-से नाराचोंद्वारा घायल करने लगा

Transliteration

hatasya apacitiṃ bhrātuḥ cikīrṣayā yuddha-durmadaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Vom Hochmut der Schlacht entflammt und vom Entschluss getrieben, den gefallenen Bruder zu rächen, begann jener Vorkämpfer, wild im Krieg, sie hastig mit vielen nārāca-Pfeilen zu verwunden.

Word by Word

• हतस्य: of the slain (one)
• हतस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (√हन्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अपचितिम्: requital, repayment (vengeance)
• अपचितिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपचिति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• भ्रातुः: of (his) brother
• भ्रातुः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• चिकीर्षया: with the desire to do (to accomplish)
• चिकीर्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिकीर्षा (√कृ, desiderative sense)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• युद्ध-दुर्मदः: battle-maddened, intoxicated with war
• युद्ध-दुर्मदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्ध + दुर्मद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• brother (unnamed in this pāda)
• nārāca arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral tension in war: personal grief and the desire to repay a death (apaciti) can turn into uncontrolled battle-fury (yuddha-durmada), escalating violence. It implicitly warns that vengeance, even when socially framed as duty, can erode restraint and deepen suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior, eager to avenge his slain brother, rushing into combat and striking opponents repeatedly with many nārāca arrows, wounding them in quick succession.