Shloka 163

बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः

Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra

Devanagari script

जयद्रथं हतं स्मृत्वा चिक्षिपु: सैन्धवा नृपा: । तदनन्तर जयद्रथ-वधका स्मरण करके सैन्धवोंने अर्जुनपर पुनः बहुत-से प्रासों और शक्तियोंका प्रहार किया

Transliteration

jayadrathaṃ hataṃ smṛtvā cikṣipuḥ saindhavā nṛpāḥ | tadanantaraṃ jayadratha-vadhakaṃ smaraṇaṃ kṛtvā saindhavāḥ arjunapar punaḥ bahu-śe prāsān śaktīś ca prahāraṃ cakruḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Remembering that Jayadratha had been slain, the kings of Sindhu’s line hurled their weapons. Thereafter, recalling the slaying of Jayadratha, the Saindhavas once again struck at Arjuna with many spears and javelins—an attack driven by grief, vengeance, and the relentless momentum of war.

Word by Word

जयद्रथम्Jayadratha

हतम्slain

स्मृत्वाhaving remembered

चिक्षिपुःthey hurled / cast

सैन्धवाःthe Sindhu-people (Saindhavas)

नृपाःkings

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Jayadratha

Saindhavas (Sindhu kings)

Arjuna

prāsa (spears)

śakti (javelins/darts)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how remembrance of loss can inflame vengeance and prolong violence; it implicitly contrasts the warrior code’s relentless retaliation with the ethical need for restraint and clarity of purpose amid grief.

What is happening in the narrative?

After recalling Jayadratha’s slaying, the Saindhava kings renew their assault on Arjuna, repeatedly hurling spears and javelins at him in a retaliatory surge.