Shloka 12
Devanagari script
ततो महास्त्राणि महाभनुर्धरी विमुञ्चमानाविषुभ्रिर्भयानकै:
Transliteration
tato mahāstrāṇi mahābhanurdharī vimuñcamānāviṣubhir bhayānakaiḥ
Translation
संजय बोले—तब वे महाधनुर्धर महान् अस्त्रों को छोड़ने लगे और भयानक बाणों की वर्षा करने लगे।
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
महास्त्राणिgreat weapons (missiles)
महास्त्राणि:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहास्त्र
FormNeuter, Accusative, Plural
महाधनुर्धरौthe two great bowmen
महाधनुर्धरौ:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहाधनुर्धर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Dual
विमुञ्चमानौreleasing, discharging
विमुञ्चमानौ:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-मुच्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual
इषुभिःwith arrows
इषुभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootइषु
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
भयानकैःterrifying
भयानकैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootभयानक
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)म
महाभनुर्धरी (the great bowman/archer)म
महास्त्र (great astras/weapons)इ
इषु (arrows)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
The verse highlights how warfare tends to escalate: once great weapons are unleashed, fear and destruction intensify, raising implicit questions about restraint and dharma even amid heroic combat.
Sañjaya reports that a mighty archer begins discharging powerful weapons and fearsome arrows, marking a heightened phase of the battle where extraordinary astras are employed.