Shloka 42

Devanagari script

ते तत्र सादिन: शूरा: सौबलस्य महद्‌ बलम्‌ | रणमध्ये व्यतिष्ठन्त शरवर्षैरवाकिरन्‌,वे शूरवीर घुड़सवार वहाँ जाकर रणभूमिके मध्यभागमें खड़े हो गये और शकुनिकी उस विशाल सेनापर बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे

Transliteration

te tatra sādinaḥ śūrāḥ saubalasya mahad balam | raṇamadhye vyatiṣṭhanta śaravarṣair avākiran |

Translation

Sañjaya said: There, those heroic horsemen advanced and took their stand in the very midst of the battlefield, and they showered arrows upon the great force of Saubala (Śakuni).

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• सादिनः: horsemen, cavalrymen
• सादिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सादिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शूराः: heroes, brave men
• शूराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सौबलस्य: of Saubala (Shakuni)
• सौबलस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौबल
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• महत्: great, huge
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बलम्: army, force
• बलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रणमध्ये: in the midst of battle
• रणमध्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण-मध्य
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• व्यतिष्ठन्त: stood, took position
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (स्थाणु/स्था)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• शरवर्षैः: with showers of arrows
• शरवर्षैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-वर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अवाकिरन्: they covered/sprinkled (with arrows)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-किॄ (किरति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Saubala (Shakuni)
• battlefield
• horsemen
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma in practice: courage expressed as steadiness and coordinated action—taking a firm position and engaging the enemy with disciplined force—rather than impulsive aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes heroic mounted warriors moving into the center of the battlefield, standing their ground, and pelting Saubala (Śakuni)’s large contingent with a sustained shower of arrows.