Shloka 26

Adhyāya 21 — Duryodhanasya bāṇavarṣaḥ

Duryodhana’s Arrow-Storm and the Dust-Obscured Engagements

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ सात्यकिना वीरे द्वैरथे विरथीकृते

Transliteration

tasmin sātyakinā vīre dvairathe virathīkṛte

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Als jener heldenhafte Krieger, der vom Streitwagen aus kämpfte, von Sātyaki seines Wagens beraubt und zum Wagenlosen gemacht wurde, verschob sich das Gleichgewicht der Schlacht—und es zeigte sich, wie im Krieg Tapferkeit und List einem Kämpfer plötzlich gerade das Mittel entreißen können, durch das er seine Rolle und Ehre auf dem Feld wahrt.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• सात्यकिना: by Sātyaki
• सात्यकिना: Karana
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वीरे: in/with regard to the hero
• वीरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्वैरथे: in the chariot-fight / in the duel on chariots
• द्वैरथे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective (used substantively)
• Root: द्वैरथ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• विरथीकृते: when made chariotless (disarmed of chariot)
• विरथीकृते: Adhikarana
• Type: Kridanta (Past Passive Participle)
• Root: विरथीकृत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• सात्यकि (Sātyaki)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of martial advantage: a warrior’s status and effectiveness in battle can depend on external supports (like a chariot), and skillful action can abruptly remove those supports—testing composure, duty, and honor under sudden reversal.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki has rendered a heroic chariot-fighter ‘chariotless’—either by disabling the chariot or forcing the warrior off it—marking a decisive moment in the ongoing combat.