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Shloka 17

The Slaying of Narakāsura (Bhaumāsura), Rescue of the Princesses, and the Pārijāta Episode Begins

यानि योधै: प्रयुक्तानि शस्‍त्रास्‍त्राणि कुरूद्वह । हरिस्तान्यच्छिनत्तीक्ष्णै: शरैरेकैकशस्‍त्रिभि: ॥ १७ ॥ उह्यमान: सुपर्णेन पक्षाभ्यां निघ्नता गजान् । गुरुत्मता हन्यमानास्तुण्डपक्षनखेर्गजा: ॥ १८ ॥ पुरमेवाविशन्नार्ता नरको युध्ययुध्यत ॥ १९ ॥

yāni yodhaiḥ prayuktāni śastrāstrāṇi kurūdvaha haris tāny acchinat tīkṣṇaiḥ śarair ekaikaśas trībhiḥ

O hero of the Kurus, all the weapons and missiles hurled by the enemy warriors Lord Hari cut down with sharp arrows, destroying each one with three shafts.

yāniwhich (things)
yāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun
yodhaiḥby the warriors
yodhaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyodha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)
prayuktāniused, discharged
prayuktāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra-yuj (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
FormPast passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय, भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural; agrees with śastrāstrāṇi/yāni
śastra-astrāṇiweapons and missiles
śastra-astrāṇi:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśastra (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); itaretara-dvandva समास
kurūdvahaO best of the Kurus
kurūdvaha:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootkuru (प्रातिपदिक) + ud-vaha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; संबोधन-प्रयोग; ‘Kuru’ + ‘bearer/foremost’
hariḥHari (Krishna)
hariḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roothari (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular
tānithose (weapons)
tāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Plural; demonstrative pronoun referring to weapons
acchinatcut off, severed
acchinat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-chid (धातु)
FormAorist/Imperfect-like aorist form (लुङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
tīkṣṇaiḥsharp
tīkṣṇaiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural; agrees with śaraiḥ
śaraiḥwith arrows
śaraiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootśara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural
eka-ekaśaḥone by one
eka-ekaśaḥ:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय): distributive ‘one by one’
trībhiḥwith three (each time)
trībhiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया), Plural; numeral adjective qualifying śaraiḥ (understood: ‘with three [arrows]’)
H
Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
P
Parīkṣit Mahārāja

FAQs

This verse shows Hari’s effortless mastery: every incoming weapon is neutralized precisely, demonstrating divine control beyond ordinary martial skill.

Śukadeva addresses Parīkṣit respectfully as the foremost of the Kuru dynasty while narrating Kṛṣṇa’s heroic deeds, keeping the listener’s royal identity and duty in view.

When challenges come “weapon-like” from many sides, the devotee remembers that the Lord can remove obstacles in precise ways; one should respond with steadiness and faith rather than panic.