Shloka 343

Devanagari script

फाल्गुनिं समरे क्रुद्धो विव्याध बहुभि: शरै: । तब राजकुमार बृहद्वलने दूसरा धनुष लेकर समरभूमिमें कुपित हो अर्जुनकुमार अभिमन्युको बहुतेरे बाणोंद्वारा बींध डाला

Transliteration

phālguniṁ samare kruddho vivyādha bahubhiḥ śaraiḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Enraged in the thick of battle, he pierced the son of Phalguna (Abhimanyu) with many arrows. The scene underscores the relentless escalation of war, where anger and martial duty drive warriors to strike decisively, even against a youthful yet formidable opponent.

Word by Word

• फाल्गुनिम्: Phalgunī (name of a woman/epithet; object)
• फाल्गुनिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: फाल्गुनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha/Reduplicated perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बहुभिः: with many
• बहुभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Phalguni (Arjuna)
• Abhimanyu
• arrows (śara)
• battlefield (samara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) intensifies violence in war, while also reflecting the harsh demands of kṣatriya-duty: once battle is joined, opponents act with decisive force. Ethically, it invites reflection on the cost of wrath and the tragic momentum of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that, during the fight, Abhimanyu (identified as the son of Phalguna/Arjuna) is struck and wounded by many arrows by an enraged warrior, marking a fierce exchange amid the larger Kurukṣetra battle.