Shloka 34

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

नकुलश्चापि सप्तैव शतानि प्राहिणोच्छरै: । शतानि त्रीणि शूराणां सहदेव: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

nakulaś cāpi saptaiva śatāni prāhiṇoc charaiḥ | śatāni trīṇi śūrāṇāṃ sahadevaḥ pratāpavān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Nakula too felled seven hundred warriors with his arrows; and the valiant Sahadeva struck down three hundred of the brave. The telling brings out the Pāṇḍavas’ brothers’ disciplined prowess in battle—strength guided by purpose amid the demands of kṣatriya duty.

Word by Word

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural (in agreement with शतानि)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• प्राहिणोत्: sent/dispatched
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु: हि/हिणोति, प्रेरणे/प्रेषणे)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular

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

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• त्रीणि: three
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शूराणाम्: of warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty/valiant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma expressed as controlled martial competence: the warriors’ strength is portrayed as effective, disciplined action in a righteous conflict context, emphasizing valor and responsibility rather than mere violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the course of the battle account, the narrator reports the battlefield success of the Pāṇḍava brothers: Nakula fells or routs seven hundred with arrows, and the mighty Sahadeva fells three hundred heroic fighters.