Shloka 10

Śalya-parva Adhyāya 26 — Duryodhana’s remnant formation and rapid engagements

Devanagari script

क्षुरप्रेण प्रमथ्याशु पातयामास भूतले । तब रणभूमिमें क्रुद्ध हुए भीमसेनने एक क्षुरप्रसे दुर्मरषणका मस्तक शीघ्रतापूर्वक पृथ्वीपर काट गिराया ।। ततो<5परेण भल्लेन सर्वावरणभेदिना

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | kṣurapreṇa pramathyāśu pātayāmāsa bhūtale | tato 'pareṇa bhallena sarvāvaraṇabhedinā |

Translation

Sañjaya said: With a razor-headed arrow he swiftly struck and felled him to the ground. Then, with another broad-headed shaft that could pierce through every kind of armor, he continued the assault. The scene underscores the relentless, skill-driven violence of the battlefield, where wrath and martial prowess override ordinary restraints and life is ended in an instant.

Word by Word

• क्षुरप्रेण: with a razor(-like arrow)
• क्षुरप्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुरप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रमथ्य: having struck/crushed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-मथ् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा-ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage)

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)

• पातयामास: caused to fall; felled
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) / पातयति (णिजन्त)
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूतले: on the ground
• भूतले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)

• अपरेण: with another
• अपरेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भल्लेन: with a bhalla-arrow
• भल्लेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सर्वावरणभेदिना: with (one) that pierces all coverings/armour
• सर्वावरणभेदिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वावरणभेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kṣurapra (razor-headed arrow)
• bhalla (broad-headed arrow)
• bhūtala (the earth/ground)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim immediacy of war: skill and anger can end life instantly, reminding the listener of the heavy moral weight borne by warriors and the tragic cost of kṣatriya conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant being swiftly felled by a razor-headed arrow, followed by the use of another broad-headed, armor-piercing arrow as the attack continues on the battlefield.