Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ततः सुनिशितैर्बाणै: पार्थ विव्याध सप्तभि: । युधिष्ठिरो5पि संक्रुद्ध: प्रतिविव्याध पठचभि:

Transliteration

tataḥ suniśitair bāṇaiḥ pārtha vivyādha saptabhiḥ | yudhiṣṭhiro 'pi saṅkruddhaḥ prativivyādha pañcabhiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, with seven razor-sharp arrows, Yudhiṣṭhira pierced Pārtha (Arjuna). Arjuna too, angered in return, struck back and pierced him with five arrows.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from/thereupon')

• सुनिशितैः: with very sharp
• सुनिशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुनिशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• सप्तभिः: with seven
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhishthira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: Avyaya

• संक्रुद्धः: enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्रुद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (past passive participle from √क्रुध् with सं-)

• प्रतिविव्याध: pierced in return/counter-wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular (with प्रति-)

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most dharma-minded warrior can be drawn into anger amid violence; the verse highlights how quickly retaliation escalates, reminding readers that inner restraint is ethically significant even when one is bound to kṣatriya-duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Drona Parva battle, Yudhiṣṭhira strikes Arjuna with seven sharp arrows; Arjuna, provoked, responds by wounding Yudhiṣṭhira with five arrows.