Shloka 43

Devanagari script

लम्पाकाश्न कुलिन्दाश्न चिक्षिपुस्तांश्न सात्यकि: । नाराचै: प्रतिचिच्छेद प्रतिपत्तिविशारद:,तदनन्तर पुनः हाथमें लोहेके गोले और त्रिशूल लिये मुँह फैलाये हुए दरद, तंगण, खस, लम्पाक और कुलिन्ददेशीय म्लेच्छोंने सात्यकिपर चारों ओरसे पत्थर बरसाने आरम्भ किये; परंतु प्रतीकार करनेमें निपुण सात्यकिने अपने नाराचोंद्वारा उन सबको छिज्न-भिन्न कर दिया

Transliteration

lampākāś ca kulindāś ca cikṣipus tāṃś ca sātyakiḥ | nārācaiḥ praticiccheda pratipattiviśāradaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The Lampākas and the Kulindas hurled their missiles; but Sātyaki—skilled in swift countermeasures—cut them down with his nārāca arrows. In the press of battle, the verse highlights disciplined presence of mind: violence is met not with panic or cruelty, but with trained, proportionate response aimed at neutralizing the immediate threat.

Word by Word

लम्पाकाःLampāka people

चand

कुलिन्दाःKulinda people

चिक्षिपुःthey hurled / threw

तान्those (missiles/objects)

सात्यकिःSātyaki

नाराचैःwith iron arrows (nārācas)

प्रतिचिच्छेदhe cut down / severed in return

प्रतिपत्तिविशारदःskilled in counter-measures/response

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Sātyaki

Lampākas

Kulindas

nārāca arrows

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores pratipatti (presence of mind) in dharmic combat: a warrior’s excellence lies not merely in force, but in disciplined, timely counteraction that neutralizes danger without losing composure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Northern tribal fighters (Lampākas and Kulindas) launch a volley of missiles; Sātyaki, renowned for quick tactical response, intercepts and destroys them with heavy piercing nārāca arrows.