Shloka 34

अभिमन्युवधः

Abhimanyu’s Fall and the Battlefield Aftermath

Devanagari script

स च्छिन्नथधन्वा विरथ: स्वधर्ममनुपालयन्‌

Transliteration

sa cchinnadhanvā virathaḥ svadharmam anupālayan

Translation

Sañjaya said: Even with his bow cut and his chariot lost, he continued to uphold his own duty—remaining steadfast in the warrior’s code amid the chaos of battle.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• छिन्न: cut off, broken
• छिन्न: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• धन्वा: with (his) bow
• धन्वा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विरथः: without a chariot, chariotless
• विरथः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वधर्मम्: one's own duty
• स्वधर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अनुपालयन्: upholding, observing
• अनुपालयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle), Present (vartamana)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfast adherence to svadharma: even when deprived of weapons and chariot, a warrior is portrayed as continuing to act in accordance with duty, emphasizing resilience and ethical commitment under adversity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant who has had his bow cut and has become chariotless, yet continues in the battle while maintaining his warrior-duty, underscoring determination despite tactical disadvantage.