Shloka 15

Devanagari script

स संनिवृत्त: सहसा कपिप्रवरकेतन: । एको रथसहस्राणि निहन्तुं वासवी रणे,श्रेष्ठ वानरचिह्से सुशोभित ध्वजावाले इन्द्रकुमार अर्जुन उपर्युक्त बात सोचकर सहसा लौट पड़े। वे रणक्षेत्रमें अकेले ही हजारों रथियोंका संहार करनेको उद्यत थे

Transliteration

sa saṁnivṛttaḥ sahasā kapipravaraketanaḥ | eko rathasahasrāṇi nihantuṁ vāsavī raṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of the foremost of monkeys (Hanumān), turned back at once. Alone on the battlefield, he was resolved to strike down thousands of chariot-warriors—acting with the fierce, Indra-like might that rises when duty in war is accepted without hesitation.

Word by Word

सःhe

संनिवृत्तःreturned/turned back

सहसाsuddenly, at once

कपि-प्रवर-केतनःhaving the banner marked by the foremost monkey (Hanuman)

एकःalone

रथ-सहस्राणिa thousand chariots (i.e., chariot-warriors)

निहन्तुम्to slay

वासवीwith the Indra-weapon (Vajra-like missile); by (a weapon) of Indra

रणेin battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna

Hanumān

Indra (Vāsava)

Arjuna’s banner/standard (ketana/dhvaja)

Battlefield (raṇa)

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 the warrior’s acceptance of duty (kṣatriya-dharma): when the moment demands action, hesitation is set aside and resolve is embraced, even against overwhelming numbers.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna suddenly turning back and preparing to fight alone, determined to destroy vast numbers of enemy chariot-warriors, marked by the Hanumān emblem on his banner and empowered with Indra-like ferocity.