Shloka 15

Devanagari script

हतास्तु पार्थेन नरप्रवीरा गतासवोर्व्या सुषुपु: सुवेषा: | वसुप्रदा वासवतुल्यवीर्या: पराजिता वासवजेन संख्ये,कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनके द्वारा मारे गये बहुतेरे उत्कृष्ट नरवीर जो सुन्दर वेश-भूषासे सुशोभित थे, प्राणशून्य होकर पृथ्वीपर सो गये। जो वीर दूसरोंको वसु (धन) देनेवाले और वासव (इन्द्र) के तुल्य पराक्रमी थे, वे भी वासवनन्दन अर्जुनके द्वारा उस युद्धमें पराजित हो गये

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | hatāstu pārthena narapravīrā gatāsavorvyā suṣupuḥ suveṣāḥ | vasupradā vāsavatulyavīryāḥ parājitā vāsavajena saṅkhye |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Struck down by Pārtha (Arjuna), many foremost heroes—adorned in splendid attire—lay upon the earth as if asleep, their lives departed. Those warriors famed as givers of wealth and whose prowess rivaled that of Vāsava (Indra) were nonetheless defeated in battle by Vāsava’s son, Arjuna.

Word by Word

हताःslain

तुbut/indeed

पार्थेनby Partha (Arjuna)

नरप्रवीराःforemost of men, great heroes

गतासवःwhose life-breath had departed, lifeless

उर्व्याम्on the earth/ground

सुषुपुःslept/lay (as if asleep)

सुवेषाःwell-attired

वसुप्रदाःgivers of wealth

वासवतुल्यवीर्याःhaving valor equal to Vasava (Indra)

पराजिताःdefeated

वासवजेनby the son of Vasava (Arjuna)

संख्येin battle

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Kuntī (implied by 'Pārtha')

Vāsava (Indra)

Vāsavaja (Arjuna as Indra’s son)

Earth (Urvī)

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?

The verse highlights the transience of worldly glory: fine attire, reputation, and even Indra-like prowess cannot prevent death in righteous combat. It also reinforces the Mahābhārata’s view of kṣatriya-dharma—battle brings grave consequences, and victory often aligns with superior skill and divine endowment rather than mere status.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Pārtha), identified also as Indra’s son, has defeated and slain many eminent warriors. Their bodies lie on the ground ‘asleep,’ emphasizing the scale of the rout and Arjuna’s overwhelming martial superiority in that encounter.