Shloka 57

शल्यपर्व — चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः | Śalya Parva, Chapter 24: Disruption of Kaurava Formations and the Elephant Encirclement

Devanagari script

इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शा गाण्डीवप्रेषिता: शरा:

Transliteration

indrāśani-samasparśā gāṇḍīva-preṣitāḥ śarāḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: The arrows released from the Gāṇḍīva—whose touch was like Indra’s thunderbolt—struck with irresistible force.

Word by Word

• इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शाः: having a touch like Indra’s thunderbolt
• इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्राशनि-सम-स्पर्श
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• गाण्डीवप्रेषिताः: shot/impelled from (the bow) Gāṇḍīva
• गाण्डीवप्रेषिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गाण्डीव-प्रेषित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Indra
• Indra’s thunderbolt (vajra)
• Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna’s bow)
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ideal of resolute action in one’s rightful duty: power is not praised as mere violence, but as disciplined force directed by a warrior’s obligation (kṣatriya-dharma) in a grave moral conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield effect of arrows shot from the Gāṇḍīva, comparing their impact to Indra’s thunderbolt to emphasize their overwhelming, decisive force in the ongoing combat.