Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तया तु वीरघातिन्या शक्‍त्या त्वभिहतो भूशम्‌ । निर्भिन्नहदयस्तूर्ण निषपपात रथान्महीम्‌,उस वीरघातिनी शक्तिकी गहरी चोट खाकर वीरधन्वाका वक्ष:स्थल विदीर्ण हो गया और वह तुरंत ही रथसे पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा

Transliteration

tayā tu vīraghātinyā śaktyā tv abhihato bhūśam | nirbhinnahṛdayas tūrṇaṃ niṣpapāta rathān mahīm ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Struck hard by that hero-slaying spear, he was grievously wounded; his heart was pierced, and he at once fell from his chariot onto the earth.

Word by Word

तयाby her/with that (weapon-bearer)

तुbut/indeed

वीरघातिन्याby the hero-slaying (one)

शक्त्याwith the spear/javelin (śakti-weapon)

त्वindeed (emphatic particle)

अभिहतःstruck/smitten

भूशम्violently, greatly

निर्भिन्नहृदयःwhose heart was pierced

तूर्णम्quickly

निषपपातfell down

रथात्from the chariot

महीम्to the earth/ground

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

śakti (spear/javelin)

ratha (chariot)

mahī (earth/ground)

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 stark ethical reality of war: even the valiant are vulnerable, and martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma) unfolds amid irreversible consequences—injury, death, and the collapse of worldly power in an instant.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior is struck severely by a śakti (spear/javelin) described as 'hero-slaying'; his heart is pierced, and he immediately falls from his chariot to the ground.