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Shloka 46

Book 9 (Śalya-parva), Adhyāya 13 — Arjuna’s Arrow-storm and the Drauṇi Confrontation

स तु तान्‌ सर्वतो यत्तान्‌ शरै: संछाद्य मारिष

sa tu tān sarvato yattān śaraiḥ saṃchādya māriṣa

Sañjaya said: But he, O venerable one, covered them—who were pressed in from every side—with a shower of arrows.

सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तान्them
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
सर्वतःon all sides/from every direction
सर्वतः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वतः
यत्तान्restrained/held back; kept in check
यत्तान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootयत् (PPP of √यम्)
Formmasculine, accusative, plural
शरैःwith arrows
शरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर
Formmasculine, instrumental, plural
संछाद्यhaving covered/blanketed
संछाद्य:
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-√छद्
Formabsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), parasmaipada (usage)
मारिषO venerable one / sir
मारिष:
TypeNoun (vocative address)
Rootमारिष
Formmasculine, vocative, singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by the address māriṣa)
A
arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how, in the heat of war, tactical superiority often manifests as total suppression—“covering” the opponent with arrows. Ethically, it points to the tension between kṣatriya prowess and the erosion of restraint when victory becomes the sole aim.

Sañjaya reports that a warrior (contextually identified in surrounding verses) attacks opponents who are hemmed in on all sides, blanketing them with arrows—an image of concentrated, overwhelming missile warfare.