Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तमाजिशीर्षमायान्तं दहन्तं क्षत्रियर्ष भान्‌ । पराक्रान्तं पराक्रम्य तत: क्षत्रियपुड़वा:

Transliteration

tam ājiśīrṣam āyāntaṁ dahantaṁ kṣatriyarṣabhān | parākrāntaṁ parākramya tataḥ kṣatriyapuṅgavāḥ ||

Translation

Melihat dia maju ke puncak pertempuran, membakar para ksatria unggul bagaikan api yang melalap, dan tampil tak tertandingi dalam keperkasaan, para ksatria terkemuka itu pun mengerahkan keberanian mereka lalu menerjang maju untuk menahan dan menandingi dia.

Word by Word

तम्him

आजिशीर्षम्the foremost in battle (battle-chief)

आयान्तम्coming, approaching

दहन्तम्burning, scorching

क्षत्रियर्षभान्bulls among kshatriyas (foremost warriors)

पराक्रान्तम्having advanced/attacked; overpowered

पराक्रम्यhaving advanced/assailed

ततःthen; thereafter; from there

क्षत्रियपुङ्गवाःthe foremost of kshatriyas

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

kṣatriyas (warrior class)

battlefront (ājiśīrṣa)

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 the kṣatriya ideal of meeting force with courage at the battle’s forefront, while implicitly reminding that such blazing prowess must still be judged within the Mahābhārata’s larger inquiry into dharma—how right action is to be discerned amid the chaos and moral cost of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

A formidable warrior is described as advancing to the very front of the battle and ‘burning’ through leading kṣatriyas; in response, other foremost warriors gather their strength and press forward to confront and counter him.