Shloka 74

Devanagari script

सात्यकिं दशभिर्विद्ध्वा हयांश्षास्य त्रिभि: शरै:

Transliteration

sātyakiṃ daśabhir viddhvā hayāṃś cāsya tribhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having pierced Sātyaki with ten arrows, he also struck his horses with three shafts—an act meant to cripple the warrior’s mobility and press the advantage in the brutal calculus of battle.

Word by Word

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki (as object)
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विद्ध्वा: having pierced/struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शास्य: intending to strike/attack (about to smite)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास्
• Form: ल्यप्/यत्-प्रत्यय (future/gerundive-like form in -स्य), Parasmaipada (usage), Future sense (intended/going to)

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

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sātyaki
• horses
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh strategic logic of war: victory is pursued not only by confronting the warrior but also by disabling his means of movement. It implicitly raises ethical tension within kṣatriya-dharma—skill and strategy are praised, yet the suffering inflicted is stark.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates a battlefield moment where Sātyaki is wounded by ten arrows, and his horses are additionally struck by three arrows, aiming to slow or immobilize his chariot and gain tactical control.