Shloka 28

भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः

Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā

Devanagari script

तैः समन्तात्‌ परिवृत: कुज्जरै: पर्वतोपमै: । नाराचैविंमलैस्तीक्ष्ग्णजानीकमयोधयत्‌,उन्हें चारों ओरसे पर्वताकार हाथियोंने घेर रखा था। वे तीखी धारवाले निर्मल नाराचोंद्वारा उस गजसेनाके साथ युद्ध करने लगे

Transliteration

taiḥ samantāt parivṛtaḥ kuñjaraiḥ parvatopamaiḥ | nārācair vimalais tīkṣṇair gajānīkam ayodhayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Surrounded on every side by elephant-warriors towering like mountains, he fought back against that elephant corps, striking with spotless, razor-sharp nārāca arrows. The scene underscores the relentless pressure of battle and the warrior’s resolve to meet overwhelming force with disciplined skill rather than panic.

Word by Word

तैःby them

समन्तात्on all sides, all around

परिवृतःsurrounded, enclosed

कुञ्जरैःby elephants

पर्वतोपमैःby (those) comparable to mountains

नाराचैःwith iron arrows (narācas)

विमलैःwith spotless, pure

तीक्ष्णजानीकम्the sharp-edged army/host

अयोधयत्he fought (against) / he engaged (them) in battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

kuñjara (elephants)

parvata (mountains, as simile)

nārāca (arrows)

gajānīka (elephant corps)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the midst of overwhelming danger, the warrior ideal emphasizes steadiness and trained action: being surrounded does not justify collapse into fear; one responds with disciplined effort, using one’s rightful means (here, weapons and skill) to meet force with resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant encircled by mountain-like elephants. Despite being hemmed in, he continues the fight, countering the elephant division by shooting sharp, well-forged nārāca arrows.