Shloka 20

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

Devanagari script

शीघ्रतां नरसिंहस्य पाण्डवेयस्य पश्यत । धनुर्मण्डलमेवास्य रथमार्गेषु दृश्यते

Transliteration

śīghratāṃ narasiṃhasya pāṇḍaveyasya paśyata | dhanur-maṇḍalam evāsya ratha-mārgeṣu dṛśyate ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Behold the swiftness of that lion among men—the son of the Pāṇḍus. Along the tracks of his chariot, only the circling arc of his bow is seen.”

Word by Word

• शीघ्रताम्: swiftness, speed
• शीघ्रताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीघ्रता
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• नरसिंहस्य: of the man-lion (hero)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरसिंह
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पाण्डवेयस्य: of the son/descendant of Pandu (Pandava)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाण्डवेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पश्यत: see!, behold!
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperative (Loṭ), Second, Plural

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• मण्डलम्: circle, ring
• मण्डलम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• एव: indeed, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• अस्य: of him, his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• रथमार्गेषु: on the chariot-tracks/paths
• रथमार्गेषु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथमार्ग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Plural

• दृश्यते: is seen, appears
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Present (Laṭ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada (passive sense)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍaveya (a Pāṇḍava warrior, likely Arjuna in context)
• bow
• chariot
• chariot-tracks/paths (ratha-mārga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya excellence: disciplined speed and mastery of weapons used in service of one’s duty. It also shows how extraordinary skill, when aligned with purpose, inspires awe and can shift morale on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a Pāṇḍava warrior moving so swiftly that observers can scarcely track him; what stands out is the visible circular sweep of his bow as he fights from his chariot, emphasizing rapid motion and continuous archery.