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Shloka 39

युधिष्ठिरस्य कृष्णार्जुनादि-समाश्वासनम्

Yudhiṣṭhira’s reassurance and praise of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Bhīma, and Sātyaki

ततः शरं महाघोरं सूर्यपावकसंनिभम्‌ । संदधे परवीरघ्नो वीरकेतो रथ॑ं प्रति,तत्पश्चात्‌ शत्रुवीरोंका संहार करनेवाले आचार्यने सूर्य और अग्निके समान अत्यन्त भयंकर बाणको धनुषपर रखा और उसे वीरकेतुके रथपर चला दिया

tataḥ śaraṃ mahāghoraṃ sūryapāvakasaṃnibham | saṃdadhe paravīraghno vīraketo rathaṃ prati ||

Sañjaya dit : Alors le pourfendeur des héros ennemis ajusta une flèche des plus terribles, flamboyante comme le soleil et le feu, et la décocha vers le char de Vīraketu.

ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
Formअव्ययम्
शरम्arrow
शरम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन
महाघोरम्very terrible
महाघोरम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootमहाघोर
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन
सूर्यपावकसंनिभम्like the sun and fire
सूर्यपावकसंनिभम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसूर्यपावकसंनिभ
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन
संदधेplaced/strung (set on the bow)
संदधे:
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + धा
Formलिट् (परस्मैपद); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन
परवीरघ्नःslayer of enemy heroes
परवीरघ्नः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपरवीरघ्न
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन
वीरकेतुःVīraketu (proper name)
वीरकेतुः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवीरकेतु
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन
रथम्chariot
रथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
Formपुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन
प्रतिtowards, against
प्रति:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्रति
Formउपसर्ग/अव्ययम्

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
V
Vīraketu
A
arrow (śara)
S
sun (sūrya)
F
fire (pāvaka)
C
chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how war magnifies destructive capability and intent; within the Mahābhārata’s moral horizon, such martial brilliance is repeatedly set against the question of dharma—what is gained or lost when victory is pursued through ever more terrifying means.

Sañjaya narrates that a warrior described as a destroyer of enemy champions sets a fearsome, sun-and-fire-like arrow on his bow and shoots it toward Vīraketu’s chariot, signaling an intensified exchange of deadly missiles.