Shloka 66

Devanagari script

पज्चभिर्नुपतिं चापि धर्मराजो<र्दयद्‌ भृशम्‌ । तदनन्तर पाँच बाणोंसे धर्मराजने राजा दुर्योधनको भी गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Transliteration

pañcabhir nṛpatiṁ cāpi dharmarājo 'rdayad bhṛśam | tad-anantaraṁ pañca bāṇaiḥ dharmarājena rājā duryodhano 'pi gāḍhaṁ kṣataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: With five arrows, Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) struck the king as well, piercing him severely. Immediately thereafter, with another five shafts, Dharmarāja inflicted a deep wound even upon King Duryodhana—an act that, though born of war’s necessity, underscores the grim tension between royal duty and the violence demanded by battle.

Word by Word

• पञ्चभिः: with five (arrows)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• नृपतिम्: the king
• नृपतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• धर्मराजः: Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira)
• धर्मराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्दयत्: struck, pained, afflicted
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्द्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• भृशम्: greatly, severely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Duryodhana
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most dharma-oriented ruler must sometimes act with force when bound by kṣatriya-duty; the verse highlights the ethical strain of righteous persons participating in destructive warfare while remaining committed to their role and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira (Dharmarāja) shoots and grievously wounds a king with five arrows, and then proceeds to wound Duryodhana as well with five more arrows, marking an intense exchange in the Kurukṣetra battle.