Shloka 41

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सहसा शरश्रेणीं जिघांसया । चिच्छेद बहुधा राजा तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जना:,वधके लिये अपने ऊपर सहसा आती हुई उन बाण पंक्तियोंके राजा दुर्योधनने अनेक टुकड़े कर डाले; इससे सब लोग हर्षध्वनि करने लगे

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṃ sahasā śaraśreṇīṃ jighāṃsayā | ciccheda bahudhā rājā tata uccukruśur janāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: With the intent to kill, a sudden volley of arrows rushed toward him. King Duryodhana cut that oncoming stream into many pieces; at this, the warriors and onlookers cried out in loud acclaim.

Word by Word

ताम्that (her/it)

आपतन्तीम्falling/coming upon

सहसाsuddenly

शरश्रेणीम्a row/stream of arrows

जिघांसयाwith the desire to kill

चिच्छेदcut asunder

बहुधाin many ways / into many pieces

राजाthe king

ततःthen/thereupon

उच्चुक्रुशुःcried out / shouted

जनाःpeople

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duryodhana

arrows (śara)

volley/stream of arrows (śaraśreṇī)

assembled warriors/people (janāḥ)

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 highlights how, in war, skill and decisive action can win immediate acclaim, yet the motive is explicitly lethal (jighāṃsayā). It implicitly contrasts public celebration of prowess with the grim ethical reality that such prowess serves killing.

What is happening in the narrative?

A sudden, deadly volley of arrows rushes toward Duryodhana. He counters by cutting the incoming arrow-stream into many fragments, and the gathered warriors/spectators respond with loud shouts of approval.