Shloka 27

Devanagari script

निरस्तजिद्दानेत्रान्ता वाजिन: सह सादिभि: | पतिता: पात्यमानाश्ष क्षितौ क्षीणा विशेरते,'ये कौरवपक्षके सवारोंसहित घोड़े क्षत-विक्षत हो, अर्जुनके द्वारा गिराये जा रहे हैं। इनकी जीभें और आँखें बाहर निकल आयी हैं। ये गिरकर पृथ्वीपर सो रहे हैं

Transliteration

nirasta-jihvā-netrāntā vājiṇaḥ saha sādibhiḥ | patitāḥ pātyamānāś ca kṣitau kṣīṇā viśerate ||

Translation

Arjuna said: “The horses, along with their riders, have been struck down—tongues lolling and the corners of their eyes protruding. Cast to the ground and still being felled, they lie exhausted upon the earth.”

Word by Word

निरस्तthrown down, cast off

जिह्वाtongue

नेत्रeyes

अन्ताःends; extremities (i.e., protruding ends)

वाजिनःhorses

सहtogether with

सादिभिःwith riders

पतिताःfallen

पात्यमानाःbeing made to fall, being felled

क्षितौon the ground

क्षीणाःexhausted, weakened

विशेरतेlie down; rest; remain lying

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

horses (vājiṇaḥ)

riders/horsemen (sādinaḥ)

earth/ground (kṣiti)

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 foregrounds the stark cost of war: not only warriors but also animals suffer grievously. In the Mahabharata’s ethical horizon, such imagery functions as a reminder that even when battle is undertaken under kṣatriya-dharma, its consequences are tragic and morally weighty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the thick of the Karṇa Parva battle, Arjuna describes the immediate battlefield scene: horses and their mounted riders on the Kaurava side are being struck down by his assault, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion and mortal agony.