Shloka 40

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

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

सा च मुक्ता गदा गुर्वी कृपेण सुपरिष्कृता । अर्जुनेन शरैरनुन्ना प्रतिमार्गमथागमत्‌

Transliteration

sā ca muktā gadā gurvī kṛpeṇa supariṣkṛtā | arjunena śarair anunnā pratimārgam athāgamat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The heavy mace—finely ornamented and hurled by Kṛpa—was struck and driven on by Arjuna’s arrows, and so it turned back, returning along its very path.

Word by Word

• सा: she/that (gadha)
• सा: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

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

• मुक्ता: released/let go
• मुक्ता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• गुर्वी: heavy
• गुर्वी: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• कृपेण: by Kripa (Krupacharya)
• कृपेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सुपरिष्कृता: well-adorned/finely prepared
• सुपरिष्कृता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपरिष्कृत
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• अर्जुनेन: by Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

• अनुन्ना: driven/impelled (back)
• अनुन्ना: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुन्न
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिमार्गम्: the reverse path/backward way
• प्रतिमार्गम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• अगमत्: went/returned
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Arjuna
• gadā (mace)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power in conflict should be governed by discipline and dharma: Arjuna’s precise counteraction shows mastery that protects without indulging in excess violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa hurls a heavy, well-adorned mace; Arjuna strikes it with arrows so that it is forced to reverse course and return along its path.