Shloka 87

Devanagari script

ततः शरशतैस्ती4&णै: संक्रुद्धाशीविषोपमै:

Transliteration

tataḥ śaraśataiḥ tīkṣṇaiḥ saṅkruddhāśīviṣopamaiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, with hundreds of sharp arrows—like enraged, venomous serpents—(the combatant) struck, intensifying the ferocity of the battle and the peril faced by those on the field.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable)

• शरशतैः: with hundreds of arrows
• शरशतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरशत (शर + शत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (शरशतैः इति सह विशेषणम्)

• संक्रुद्ध: enraged; furious
• संक्रुद्ध: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संक्रुद्ध (सम् + क्रुध्, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्तृविशेषणम्; कर्ता अत्र अनुक्तः)

• आशीविषोपमैः: like venomous serpents
• आशीविषोपमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविषोपम (आशीविष + उपम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (शरशतैः इति सह विशेषणम्)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows
• venomous serpents

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical gravity of war by portraying weapons as living dangers—arrows compared to enraged venomous snakes—highlighting how anger and violence multiply peril and suffering on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a sudden escalation in combat: a warrior unleashes volleys of sharp arrows in great numbers, their deadly speed and threat likened to furious poisonous serpents.