Shloka 17

Devanagari script

शतानीकं च नवभ्िर्धर्मपुत्रं च पठचभि: । तथेतरांस्तत: शूरान्‌ द्वाभ्यां द्वाभ्यामताडयत्‌

Transliteration

Śatānīkaṃ ca navabhir Dharmaputraṃ ca pañcabhiḥ | tathā itarāṃs tataḥ śūrān dvābhyāṃ dvābhyām atāḍayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: He struck Śatānīka with nine arrows and Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira) with five. Then, in the same manner, he went on to smite the other heroes as well—two arrows at a time—pressing the battle with measured, relentless force.

Word by Word

• शतानीकम्: Śatānīka (a warrior/king)
• शतानीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतानीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• नवभिः: with nine (arrows)
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• धर्मपुत्रम्: Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• पञ्चभिः: with five (arrows)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तथा: thus/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इतरान्: the others
• इतरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शूरान्: heroes/warriors
• शूरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• द्वाभ्याम्: with two (arrows)
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• द्वाभ्याम्: with two (arrows) each
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• अताडयत्: struck/smit
• अताडयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: तड्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Past, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śatānīka
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the disciplined, methodical application of force in battle—an image of controlled martial skill rather than random violence. Ethically, it underscores how warfare in the epic is often portrayed as governed by technique, targets, and measured action, even amid chaos.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a combatant’s arrow-strikes: Śatānīka is hit with nine arrows, Yudhiṣṭhira with five, and then other warriors are struck in pairs of arrows, indicating a continuing, systematic assault across the battlefield.