Shloka 26

Devanagari script

के वा तत्र तनूंस्त्यक्त्वा प्रतीपं मृत्युमाव्रजन्‌ । अमानुषाणां जेतारं युद्धेष्वपि धनंजयम्‌,मानवेतर प्राणियों (देवताओं और दैत्यों)-पर भी विजय पानेवाले वीर अर्जुनको युद्धमें अपने प्रतिकूल पाकर किन वीरोंने वहाँ अपने शरीरोंको निछावर करके मृत्युको स्वीकार किया?

Transliteration

ke vā tatra tanūṁs tyaktvā pratīpaṁ mṛtyum āvrajan | amānuṣāṇāṁ jetāraṁ yuddheṣv api dhanañjayam |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Who indeed, on that battlefield, cast off their bodies and went to death against their will—having encountered in war Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), the conqueror even of non-human foes (gods and asuras)?”

Word by Word

केwho (which persons)

वाindeed / or (emphatic particle)

तत्रthere

तनून्bodies

त्यक्त्वाhaving abandoned (having sacrificed)

प्रतीपम्hostile / adverse

मृत्युम्death

आव्रजन्went to / met / accepted

अमानुषाणाम्of non-human beings (superhuman beings)

जेतारम्conqueror

युद्धेषुin battles

अपिeven

धनंजयम्Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)

amānuṣāḥ (non-human beings: devas and daityas, implied)

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 underscores the awe-inspiring stature of Arjuna as a warrior and frames death in battle as an accepted consequence of confronting overwhelming prowess—highlighting the kṣatriya-world’s ethic where valor may culminate in willingly risking (and losing) the body for one’s cause.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana poses a rhetorical, anticipatory question: on the battlefield, which warriors met their end after encountering Arjuna, famed as a victor even over non-human adversaries. It sets up the ensuing account of those who fell when opposed by him.