Shloka 30

Devanagari script

नानाविधानि शस्त्राणि विसृजन्तो महारथा: । अन्योन्यमभिधावन्त: सम्प्रहारार्थमुद्यता:

Transliteration

nānāvidhāni śastrāṇi visṛjanto mahārathāḥ | anyonyam abhidhāvantaḥ samprahārārtham udyatāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The great chariot-warriors, hurling weapons of many kinds, rushed at one another, fully intent on closing in for direct combat. The scene underscores how, once battle is joined, prowess and resolve drive men toward violent encounter, even as the larger question of righteous conduct (dharma) remains the unseen measure of their acts.

Word by Word

नानाvarious, manifold

विधानिkinds, types

शस्त्राणिweapons

विसृजन्तःhurling, discharging

महारथाःgreat chariot-warriors

अन्योन्यम्each other, mutually

अभिधावन्तःrushing towards, charging at

सम्प्रहारार्थम्for the purpose of close combat

उद्यताःready, intent, prepared

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mahārathāḥ (great chariot-warriors)

śastrāṇi (weapons)

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 the momentum of warfare: once warriors commit to battle, they press toward direct confrontation with determination. Implicitly, it invites reflection on how human resolve and skill can serve either righteous duty or destructive passion, making dharma the crucial standard beyond mere martial success.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield action: elite chariot-warriors are throwing diverse weapons and charging at each other, preparing to engage in close, decisive fighting.