Shloka 35

Devanagari script

स एवमुकत्वा विनिमृज्य चापं लक्ष्यं हि कृत्वा वृषसेनमाजौ

Transliteration

sa evam uktvā vinimṛjya cāpaṃ lakṣyaṃ hi kṛtvā vṛṣasenam ājau

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, he wiped and readied his bow; then, fixing Vṛṣasena as his target on the battlefield, he prepared to strike—an image of war’s grim resolve where words immediately harden into action.

Word by Word

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

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• विनिमृज्य: having wiped/cleansed
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृज्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), वि + नि, Active, Non-finite

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• लक्ष्यम्: target, aim
• लक्ष्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• कृत्वा: having made (as), having taken (as)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Active, Non-finite

• वृषसेनम्: Vṛṣasena (proper name)
• वृषसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषसेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आजौ: in battle
• आजौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vṛṣasena
• bow (cāpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the immediacy with which spoken intent in war becomes decisive action: once a warrior’s resolve is declared, it is followed by disciplined preparation (steadying the bow) and focused execution (fixing the target). Ethically, it reflects the grim clarity of kṣatriya warfare—purpose, control, and consequence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After speaking, the warrior wipes/steadies his bow and then takes aim at Vṛṣasena on the battlefield, indicating an imminent attack and a shift from dialogue to direct combat.