Shloka 656

Devanagari script

चतुः:शतान्‌ द्विरदान्‌ सायुधान्‌ वै हत्वा रथानष्टशताञ्जघान । इसके बाद अर्जुनने पुनः तीन, आठ, दो, चार और दस बाणोंद्वारा कर्णको बारंबार घायल करके अस्त्र-शस्त्रधारी सवारोंसहित चार सौ हाथियोंको मारकर आठ सौ रथोंको नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | catuḥśatān dviradān sāyudhān vai hatvā rathān aṣṭaśatāñ jaghāna |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having slain four hundred armed elephants, he then destroyed eight hundred chariots.

Word by Word

• चतुःशतान्: four hundred
• चतुःशतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुःशत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• द्विरदान्: elephants
• द्विरदान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विरद
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सायुधान्: armed (with weapons)
• सायुधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आयुध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active, Perfective (prior action)

• रथान्: chariots
• रथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अष्टशतान्: eight hundred
• अष्टशतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टशत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• जघान: slew/destroyed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• elephants (dvirada)
• chariots (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the epic tension between kṣatriya duty (skill and steadfastness in battle) and the sobering ethical reality of war: even 'heroic' action entails immense destruction, inviting reflection on dharma amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a surge of battlefield devastation: after killing four hundred armed elephants, the warrior goes on to destroy eight hundred chariots, conveying the overwhelming intensity and scale of the combat.