Shloka 18

Devanagari script

श्रुतायुरपि चाम्बष्ठ: क्षत्रियाणां धुरंधर: । चरन्नभीतवत्‌ संख्ये निहत: सव्यसाचिना,अम्बष्ठदेशके राजा क्षत्रिय-धुरंधर श्रुतायु भी, जो समरांगणमें निर्भय-से विचरते थे, सव्यसाची अर्जुनके हाथसे मारे गये

Transliteration

śrutāyur api cāmbaṣṭhaḥ kṣatriyāṇāṃ dhuraṃdharaḥ | carann abhītavat saṅkhye nihataḥ savyasācinā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Even Śrutāyu, the king of the Ambaṣṭha country—a foremost bearer of the Kṣatriyas’ burden—who moved about the battlefield as if fearless, was slain by Savyasācin (Arjuna). The verse underscores how martial prowess and outward fearlessness, when yoked to an unrighteous cause, cannot avert the decisive consequences of war and fate.

Word by Word

• श्रुतायु: Śrutāyu (proper name)
• श्रुतायु: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुतायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अम्बष्ठ: Ambashṭha (a king/tribal designation; here a proper epithet)
• अम्बष्ठ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kṣatriyas
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• धुरंधर: a foremost bearer of the burden; champion
• धुरंधर: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धुरंधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• चरन्: moving about, roaming
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभीतवत्: fearlessly, like one unafraid
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीतवत् (प्रातिपदिक; -वत् suffix)
• Form: Neuter (indeclinable-like adverbial use), Accusative (adverbial), Singular

• संख्ये: in battle
• संख्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• निहत: slain, killed
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) + नि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सव्यसाचिना: by Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाचिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन् (प्रातिपदिक; epithet of Arjuna)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śrutāyu
• Ambaṣṭha (country/people)
• Arjuna (Savyasācin)
• Kṣatriyas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the limits of mere valor: even a renowned, seemingly fearless Kṣatriya champion can fall in war. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, prowess does not guarantee protection when one stands on the losing side of dharma and the inexorable momentum of fate and consequence unfolds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Śrutāyu, the Ambaṣṭha king and a leading warrior, was roaming fearlessly in the battle but was slain by Arjuna (called Savyasācin). It is one item in the ongoing account of notable Kaurava-aligned warriors being cut down in the Kurukṣetra war.