Shloka 20

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

Devanagari script

शीघ्रतां नरसिंहस्य पाण्डवेयस्य पश्यत । धनुर्मण्डलमेवास्य रथमार्गेषु दृश्यते

Transliteration

śīghratāṃ narasiṃhasya pāṇḍaveyasya paśyata | dhanur-maṇḍalam evāsya ratha-mārgeṣu dṛśyate ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Voyez la vitesse de ce lion parmi les hommes, le fils des Pāṇḍu. Le long des traces de son char, on ne distingue que l’arc tournoyant de son arc.»

Word by Word

शीघ्रताम्swiftness, speed

नरसिंहस्यof the man-lion (hero)

पाण्डवेयस्यof the son/descendant of Pandu (Pandava)

पश्यतsee!, behold!

धनुःbow

मण्डलम्circle, ring

एवindeed, only

अस्यof him, his

रथमार्गेषुon the chariot-tracks/paths

दृश्यतेis seen, appears

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāṇḍaveya (a Pāṇḍava warrior, likely Arjuna in context)

bow

chariot

chariot-tracks/paths (ratha-mārga)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya excellence: disciplined speed and mastery of weapons used in service of one’s duty. It also shows how extraordinary skill, when aligned with purpose, inspires awe and can shift morale on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a Pāṇḍava warrior moving so swiftly that observers can scarcely track him; what stands out is the visible circular sweep of his bow as he fights from his chariot, emphasizing rapid motion and continuous archery.