Shloka 23

कर्णभीमसेनयुद्धम् | Karṇa–Bhīmasena Engagement

Chapter 111

Devanagari script

ततस्ते पाण्डवा राजन्‌ समन्तान्निशितान्‌ शरान्‌

Transliteration

tataste pāṇḍavā rājan samantān niśitān śarān

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Then, O King, the Pāṇḍavas, from all sides, let fly their keen, sharpened arrows.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• पाण्डवाः: the Pandavas
• पाण्डवाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन एकवचनम्

• समन्तात्: from all sides/on all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्
• Form: अव्यय

• निशितान्: sharpened/keen
• निशितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the relentless momentum of war: once battle is joined, disciplined warriors act decisively. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s tension between kṣatriya-duty in combat and the grave human cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas, positioned around their opponents, unleash a volley of sharp arrows from every direction, intensifying the engagement.