Shloka 16

Devanagari script

नातिक्रमेच्च मां पार्थो धनुष्पाणिमवस्थितम्‌ । जघने सर्वसैन्यानां शनैरश्वान्‌ प्रचोदय

Transliteration

nātikramec ca māṃ pārtho dhanuṣpāṇim avasthitam | jaghane sarvasainyānāṃ śanair aśvān pracodaya ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Let Pārtha (Arjuna) not overtake me while I stand ready with bow in hand. From the rear of all the armies, urge the horses forward—slowly.”

Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अतिक्रमेत्: should overstep / should pass beyond
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-क्रम्
• Form: Vidhi-linga, optative (injunctive sense), 3rd, singular, Parasmaipada

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

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, accusative, singular

• पार्थः: the son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• धनुष्पाणिम्: one having a bow in hand (bow-armed)
• धनुष्पाणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुष्पाणि
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अवस्थितम्: standing / stationed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव-स्था (अवस्थित)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, accusative, singular

• जघने: in the rear / at the back
• जघने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: जघन
• Form: neuter, locative, singular

• सर्वसैन्यानाम्: of all the armies
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वसैन्य
• Form: neuter, genitive, plural

• शनैः: slowly / gradually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• प्रचोदय: urge on / drive forward
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चुद्
• Form: Lot, imperative, 2nd, singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• horses (aśvāḥ)
• armies (sainyāni)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield discipline and strategic restraint: even amid fury, a warrior-leader must control pace and positioning, coordinating movement (horses, chariot, troops) rather than rushing into disadvantage.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa Parva battle setting, Sañjaya reports a command or intention: the speaker wants to avoid being overtaken by Arjuna while remaining poised with bow ready, and instructs the charioteer to advance the horses slowly from the rear of the armies, emphasizing tactical spacing and control.