Shloka 12

Devanagari script

विस्फार्य गाण्डीवमथोग्रघोष॑ं ज्यया समाहत्य तले भृशं च । बाणान्धकारं सहसैव कृत्वा जघान नागाश्चरथध्वजांश्ष

Transliteration

visphārya gāṇḍīvam athogra-ghoṣaṁ jyayā samāhatya tale bhṛśaṁ ca | bāṇāndhakāraṁ sahasaiva kṛtvā jaghāna nāgāś ca ratha-dhvajāṁś ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Arjuna membentangkan Gāṇḍīva yang mengaum garang; dengan tali busurnya ia menghantam telapak tangannya kuat-kuat. Seketika ia menebarkan kegelapan anak panah, dan dalam sekejap meremukkan gajah, kereta perang, serta panji-panji pihak musuh.

Word by Word

• विस्फार्य: having stretched/opened
• विस्फार्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+स्फार् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे), कर्तरि, absolutive (having done)

• गाण्डीवम्: Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna’s bow)
• गाण्डीवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• अथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उग्रघोषम्: of terrible sound
• उग्रघोषम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्रघोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ज्यया: with the bowstring
• ज्यया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• समाहत्य: having struck/smitten
• समाहत्य: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+हन् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थे), कर्तरि, absolutive (having struck)

• तले: on the palm (surface)
• तले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भृशम्: violently, greatly
• भृशम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• बाणान्धकारम्: darkness (caused) by arrows
• बाणान्धकारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण-अन्धकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• कृत्वा: having made/created
• कृत्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा, कर्तरि, absolutive (having made)

• जघान: he slew/struck down
• जघान: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), past (perfect used as narrative past), Third, Singular

• नागान्: elephants
• नागान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• च: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रथध्वजान्: chariots and banners/standards
• रथध्वजान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• bowstring (jyā)
• elephants (nāga)
• chariots (ratha)
• standards/banners (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in action: disciplined, decisive use of skill and power to neutralize hostile forces in war. The emphasis is on mastery, resolve, and tactical effectiveness—force employed as duty within the battlefield context, not as personal malice.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna drawing the Gāṇḍīva and snapping/striking the bowstring against his palm, producing a fearsome sound. He then unleashes a dense volley—‘darkness of arrows’—that rapidly destroys enemy elephants, chariots, and their standards.