Shloka 343

Devanagari script

अपहस्तेन चिच्छेद शैनेयस्त्वरयान्वित: । युद्धके उस महान्‌ रंगस्थलमें श्रेष्ठ खड़ग धारण करके विचरते हुए विन्दको सात्यकिने तिरछे हाथसे शीघ्रतापूर्वक काट डाला

Transliteration

apahastena ciccheda śaineyas tvarayānvitāḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: With a swift, oblique stroke of his hand, Śaineya—moving with great speed—cut down Vindaka as he ranged about the battlefield bearing a fine sword. The verse underscores the grim efficiency of war, where prowess and haste decide life and death, even as the larger struggle continues to test the warriors’ adherence to their chosen duty (svadharma) amid violence.

Word by Word

• अपहस्तेन: with the oblique/side hand
• अपहस्तेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपहस्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut, severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), Third, Singular

• शैनेयः: Śaineya (Sātyaki, descendant of Śini)
• शैनेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैनेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वरया: with haste
• त्वरया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्वितः: endowed with, accompanied by
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śaineya (Sātyaki)
• Vindaka
• khadga (sword)
• raṅgasthala / yuddhakṣetra (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh moral landscape of war: a warrior’s skill and swiftness can be decisive, yet such acts occur within the larger frame of svadharma—chosen duty—where courage and resolve are praised even as the violence remains tragic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śaineya (Sātyaki), moving quickly, strikes Vindaka with an oblique hand-stroke and cuts him down while Vindaka is moving about the battlefield wielding a sword.