Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तांस्तु प्रत्यवधीत्‌ सर्वान्‌ दशभिर्दशभि: शरै: । तैर््मान: सौभद्र: सर्वतो निशितै: शरै:,उन सबके चलाये हुए तीखे बाणोंद्वारा सब ओरसे पीड़ित हुए सुभद्राकुमारने उन सभीको दस-दस बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

tāṁstu pratyavadhīt sarvān daśabhir daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ | tair mānaḥ saubhadraḥ sarvato niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Though assailed on every side by their sharp arrows, the son of Subhadrā struck them all in return, wounding each with ten arrows.

Word by Word

तान्them

तुbut/indeed

प्रत्यवधीत्struck down/attacked

सर्वान्all

दशभिःwith ten

दशभिःwith ten (each)

शरैःby arrows

तैःby those

मानःbeing afflicted/being struck (lit. being measured/considered; here in sense 'being assailed')

सौभद्रःthe son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)

सर्वतःon all sides

निशितैःsharp

शरैःby arrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Saubhadra (Abhimanyu, son of Subhadrā)

arrows (śara)

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 steadfastness and disciplined response under adversity: even when surrounded and hurt by sharp attacks, a warrior grounded in kṣatriya-duty maintains composure and answers with controlled, proportionate skill rather than fear or disorder.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva battle account, Abhimanyu is struck from all sides by opponents’ sharp arrows; despite the pressure, he retaliates effectively, wounding all of them by shooting ten arrows at each.