Shloka 41

Devanagari script

जघान पुरुषव्याप्रं शरै: संनतपर्वभि: । स एष पतित: शेते शरतल्पे पितामह:

Transliteration

jaghāna puruṣavyāpraṁ śaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ | sa eṣa patitaḥ śete śaratālpe pitāmahaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: With arrows whose joints were well-shaped and true, he struck down the mighty, lion-like warrior. And now that grandsire lies fallen, resting upon a bed of arrows.

Word by Word

• जघान: slew/struck down
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पुरुषव्याघ्रं: the tiger among men (a great hero)
• पुरुषव्याघ्रं: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषव्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• संनतपर्वभिः: having bent/curved joints (i.e., barbed/knotted)
• संनतपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनतपर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पतितः: fallen
• पतितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शेते: lies
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• शरतल्पे: on the bed of arrows
• शरतल्पे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरतल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• पितामहः: the grandsire (Bhishma)
• पितामहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pitāmaha (Bhīṣma)
• śara (arrows)
• śaratālpa (bed of arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim ethical reality of dharma in war: even the most venerable and righteous can be brought low by violence, yet the truly great endure suffering with steadiness. It invites reflection on the cost of conflict and the dignity of steadfastness amid inevitable consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a powerful warrior has been struck down by well-fashioned arrows, and that the grandsire Bhīṣma is now seen fallen and lying upon a bed of arrows—an iconic battlefield scene marking his grievous wounding and continued endurance.