Shloka 35

Devanagari script

ततो<परैस्त्रिभिर्भल्लैद्रौणिं विव्याध पाण्डव: । सो5तिविद्धो बलवता पार्थेन सुमहात्मना

Transliteration

tato 'parais tribhir bhallair drauṇiṁ vivyādha pāṇḍavaḥ | so 'tividdho balavatā pārthena sumahātmanā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the Pāṇḍava warrior struck Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman) with three more keen arrows. Deeply pierced by the mighty Pārtha, that great-souled archer still pressed the fight onward amid the harsh demands of war—where prowess and resolve decide the moment, even as dharma remains the larger measure of a warrior’s conduct.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• अपरैः: with other (ones)
• अपरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• भल्लैः: with arrows (bhalla-shafts)
• भल्लैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• द्रौणिम्: Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अतिविद्धः: pierced through/exceedingly wounded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतिविद्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (past passive participle from √विध् with उपसर्ग अति)

• बलवता: by the strong (one)
• बलवता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पार्थेन: by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सुमहात्मना: by the very great-souled (one)
• सुमहात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुमहात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍava (Arjuna/Pārtha)
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)
• Bhalla arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the warrior ethic: skill and strength are exercised decisively in battle, yet the description of Arjuna as “great-souled” implies that true martial excellence is ideally joined with nobility of intent and disciplined conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna (Pārtha), a Pāṇḍava, shoots Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi), son of Droṇa, with three additional bhalla-arrows, wounding him severely in the ongoing combat.