Shloka 22

Devanagari script

नाकुलिं तु शतानीकं भूतकर्मा सभापति: । अस्यन्तमिषुजालानि यान्तं द्रोणादवारयत्‌

Transliteration

nākuliṃ tu śatānīkaṃ bhūtakarmā sabhāpatiḥ | asyantam iṣujālāni yāntaṃ droṇād avārayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Bhūtakarmā, the lord of the assembly, checked Śatānīka of the Nakula line as he advanced, showering volleys of arrows, and prevented him from reaching Droṇa. In the press of battle, the act signals a commander’s duty: to restrain a dangerous advance and protect one’s chief, even amid the moral weight of kin-slaying and the chaos of war.

Word by Word

• नकुलिम्: Nakuli (name of a warrior)
• नकुलिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुली
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• शतानीकम्: Shatanika (name of a warrior)
• शतानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतानीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भूतकर्मा: one whose deeds are accomplished (epithet)
• भूतकर्मा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतकर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सभापतिः: lord/president of the assembly
• सभापतिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सभापति
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्यन्: shooting/casting
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (क्षेपणे)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इषुजालानि: nets/volleys of arrows
• इषुजालानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषुजाल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• यान्तम्: going/advancing
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (गत्यर्थः)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणात्: from Drona
• द्रोणात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अवारयत्: checked/stopped/warded off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारणे) + अव
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śatānīka (of Nakula’s line)
• Bhūtakarmā
• Droṇa
• arrows (iṣu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, a leader’s dharma includes disciplined restraint and protection of key persons; valor is guided by responsibility, not mere aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śatānīka, identified as a descendant of Nakula, advances while releasing dense volleys of arrows; Bhūtakarmā intercepts and prevents him from reaching Droṇa.