Shloka 81

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

असिशभ्रि: पट्टिशै: शूलैस्तक्षमाणा: पुन: पुनः । तावका: पाण्डवेयाश्व न न्यवर्तन्त भारत

Transliteration

asiśabhribhiḥ paṭṭiśaiḥ śūlais takṣamāṇāḥ punaḥ punaḥ | tāvakāḥ pāṇḍaveyāś ca na nyavartanta bhārata ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Immer wieder hieben und verwundeten sie einander mit Schwertern, Streitäxten und Speeren; weder deine Krieger noch die Söhne Pāṇḍus wichen vom Kampf zurück, o Bhārata!“

Word by Word

• असिशभ्रिः: a sword-bearer (warrior with a sword)
• असिशभ्रिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असिशभृ (असि + शभृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पट्टिशैः: with battle-axes
• पट्टिशैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्टिश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शूलैः: with spears/pikes
• शूलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तक्षमाणाः: wounding/striking (repeatedly)
• तक्षमाणाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तक्ष्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• तावकाः: your (men/warriors)
• तावकाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पाण्डवेयाः: the Pandavas' (men/warriors)
• पाण्डवेयाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डवेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• न्यवर्तन्त: they did not turn back/retreat
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (निवृत्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Atmanepada

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Bhārata)
• Kaurava warriors (tāvakāḥ)
• Pāṇḍava warriors (pāṇḍaveyāḥ)
• swords (asi/śabhrī)
• battle-axes (paṭṭiśa)
• spears (śūla)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in battle—both sides refuse to retreat despite repeated wounds. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of standing one’s ground, while simultaneously exposing the tragic intensity of war where duty and destruction coexist.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the ongoing combat: Kaurava and Pāṇḍava fighters repeatedly strike each other with swords, battle-axes, and spears, yet neither side withdraws. It is a snapshot of the ferocity and endurance characterizing the fighting in Śalya Parva.