Shloka 88

Devanagari script

ततः शरैर्भीमतरैरविध्यत्‌ त्रिभिराहवे | हस्ते कृष्णं तथा पार्थमभ्यविध्यच्च सप्तभि:,तदनन्तर उसने तीन भयानक बाणोंद्वारा युद्धस्थलमें श्रीकृष्णके हाथमें चोट पहुँचायी और अर्जुनको भी सात बाणोंसे बींध डाला

Transliteration

tataḥ śaraiḥ bhīmataraḥ avidhyat tribhir āhave | haste kṛṣṇaṃ tathā pārtham abhyavidhyac ca saptabhiḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces, en lo más recio de la batalla, hirió con tres flechas sobremanera terribles; también lastimó a Kṛṣṇa en la mano y atravesó a Pārtha (Arjuna) con siete flechas—imagen de una fuerza marcial implacable, dirigida incluso contra el auriga y el arquero más excelso.

Word by Word

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

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

• भीमतरैः: with more terrible (ones)
• भीमतरैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भीमतरा (भीम-तरा)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अविध्यत्: pierced, struck
• अविध्यत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हस्ते: in/on the hand
• हस्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कृष्णम्: Krishna
• कृष्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper)
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: also, likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा
• Form: Avyaya

• पार्थम्: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (Proper/Epithet)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यविध्यत्: pierced, struck (closely/again)
• अभ्यविध्यत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya

• सप्तभिः: with seven
• सप्तभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛṣṇa
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the harsh reality of dharma-yuddha: even revered figures like Kṛṣṇa (as charioteer) and the foremost warrior Arjuna are not beyond injury. It highlights endurance, composure, and steadfastness amid violence, while reminding that prowess in war must still be situated within the larger ethical frame of duty and purpose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a moment of intense fighting where an unnamed combatant (from context, a leading warrior on the opposing side) shoots three dreadful arrows and wounds Kṛṣṇa in the hand, then strikes Arjuna with seven arrows, emphasizing the pressure placed on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna’s chariot team.