Shloka 16

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

तत: शारद्वतस्तूर्ण पार्थ दशभिराशुगै: । विव्याध परवीरघ्नं निशितैर्मर्मभेदिभि:

Transliteration

tataḥ śāradvatastūrṇaṃ pārthaṃ daśabhir āśugaiḥ | vivyādha paravīraghnaṃ niśitair marmabhedibhiḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Then Śāradvata (Kṛpa), moving swiftly, pierced Pārtha (Arjuna)—slayer of enemy heroes—with ten fast-flying, keen arrows that struck the vital points.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: Avyaya

• शारद्वतः: Śāradvata (Kṛpa)
• शारद्वतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारद्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial accusative)

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural

• आशुगैः: swift (arrows)
• आशुगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural

• विव्याध: pierced, struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, Parasmaipada

• परवीरघ्नम्: slayer of enemy heroes
• परवीरघ्नम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर-वीर-घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √शा/√शि 'to sharpen' in sense 'sharpened')
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural

• मर्मभेदिभिः: with vital-spot-piercing (arrows)
• मर्मभेदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्म-भेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Śāradvata (Kṛpa)
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• arrows
• marman (vital points)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the reality of kṣatriya duty: in righteous conflict, even great heroes face harm, and true strength lies in disciplined courage and steadiness rather than mere invulnerability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa (Śāradvata) rapidly shoots Arjuna and wounds him with ten sharp, swift arrows aimed at vital points, marking an intense exchange in the battle episode.