Shloka 31
Devanagari script
आर्जुनिं कोसलेन्द्रस्तु विदृध्वा पज्चभिरायसै:
Transliteration
ārjunīṁ kosalendras tu vidṛdhvā pañcabhir āyasaiḥ
Translation
Sañjaya said: The lord of Kosala, having struck Arjuna’s standard with five iron shafts, sought to shake the enemy’s resolve in the midst of battle.
Word by Word
आर्जुनिम्Arjuna (as object)
आर्जुनिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootआर्जुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कोसल-इन्द्रःthe lord of Kosala (king of Kosala)
कोसल-इन्द्रः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकोसल + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
विदृध्वाhaving struck/assailed
विदृध्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootवि + दृध् (धातु)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)
पञ्चभिःwith five
पञ्चभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
आयसैःiron (ones); made of iron
आयसैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootआयस (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)आ
आर्जुनि / अर्जुन (Arjuna)क
कोसलेंद्र (King of Kosala)आ
आयस (iron shafts/weapons)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya code in wartime: attacks are not merely physical but also symbolic, aimed at testing courage and resolve. It underscores how honor and morale function as ethical and strategic dimensions of battle.
Sañjaya reports that the king of Kosala strikes what pertains to Arjuna—commonly understood as Arjuna’s banner/standard—with five iron shafts, marking an aggressive challenge in the ongoing Kurukṣetra combat.