Shloka 15

Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam

A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement

Devanagari script

समीक्ष्य संख्येडतिबलान्‌ नराधिपान्‌ ससूतमातड्रथान्‌ परैहतान्‌ | कथं न सर्वानहितान्‌ रणेडवधीद्‌ महास्त्रविद्‌ ब्राह्मणपुड्वो गुरु:

Transliteration

samīkṣya saṅkhyed atibalān narādhipān sasūtamātad-rathān paraihatān | kathaṁ na sarvān ahitān raṇe ’vadhīd mahāstravid brāhmaṇa-pūjyo guruḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Seeing those exceedingly mighty kings—together with their charioteers and their chariots—struck down by the enemy, one wonders: how did that master of great weapons, the venerable preceptor honored even by Brahmins, not slay all the hostile foes in the battle?”

Word by Word

• समीक्ष्य: having observed/considered
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), कर्तरि, पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (absolutive)

• संख्ये: in battle
• संख्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• अतिबलान्: very strong
• अतिबलान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिबल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नराधिपान्: kings
• नराधिपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ससूतम्: together with the charioteer
• ससूतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ससूत
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आतत-रथान्: those with chariots drawn up/arrayed
• आतत-रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतत-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परैः: by enemies
• परैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• हतान्: slain
• हतान्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कथम्: how
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम्

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अहितान्: hostile / harmful (foes)
• अहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• अवधीः: slew/killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), परस्मैपद, 3rd, Singular

• महास्त्रविद्: knower of great weapons
• महास्त्रविद्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महास्त्रविद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ब्राह्मणपुत्रः: the brahmin's son
• ब्राह्मणपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kings (narādhipa)
• charioteers (sūta)
• chariots (ratha)
• enemy/foe (para)
• the Guru/preceptor (guruḥ)