Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततस्ते कोपितास्तेन शरैराशीविषोपमै: । परिवत्र॒र्जिघांसन्त: सौभद्रमपराजितम्‌,तब अभिमन्युसे चिढ़े हुए उन योद्धाओंने विषधर सर्पके समान भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा किसीसे परास्त न होनेवाले सुभद्राकुमारको मार डालनेकी इच्छा रखकर उसे घेर लिया

Transliteration

tataste kopitāstena śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ | parivavruḥ jighāṃsantaḥ saubhadram aparājitam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Enraged at him, they hemmed in Subhadrā’s son—unconquered in battle—assailing him with arrows as dreadful as venomous serpents, intent on killing him. The scene underscores how wrath in war can eclipse restraint and drive many to unite against a single heroic foe.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: indeclinable (ablatival adverb)

• ते: they (those warriors)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• कोपिताः: angered/enraged
• कोपिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोपित
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural (past passive participle)

• तेन: by him/thereby (by that one)
• तेन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• आशीविषोपमैः: like venomous serpents
• आशीविषोपमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविषोपम
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• परिवव्रुः: they surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वॄ (वृणोति/वृणुते)
• Form: perfect, 3rd person, plural, parasmaipada

• जिघांसन्तः: wishing to kill
• जिघांसन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (जिघांसति)
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural (present active participle; desiderative sense)

• सौभद्रम्: the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)
• सौभद्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभद्र
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अपराजितम्: unconquered/unvanquished
• अपराजितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपराजित
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular (past passive participle used adjectivally)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu (Saubhadra, son of Subhadrā)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (kopa) in warfare can override restraint and fairness, leading many to unite with lethal intent against a single opponent; it implicitly contrasts heroic steadfastness with ethically troubling, wrath-driven collective violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being provoked by Abhimanyu, the opposing warriors become enraged and surround him, attacking with deadly arrows and aiming to kill the unconquered son of Subhadrā.