Shloka 516

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

परिवत्रू रणे भीम॑ किरन्तो विविधान्‌ शरान्‌ । उस वीरके मारे जानेपर उसके सेवकोंने नाना प्रकारके बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए रणभूमिमें भीमसेनको सब ओरसे घेर लिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | parivatrū raṇe bhīmaṃ kiranto vividhān śarān | tasmin vīrake māre jāne tasya sevakā nānāprakārakabāṇavarṣaṃ kurvanto raṇabhūmau bhīmasenaṃ sarvataḥ paryavārayam |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “In the midst of battle, they showered Bhīma with many kinds of arrows. When that warrior had been slain, his attendants, raining down diverse volleys of shafts, surrounded Bhīmasena on all sides upon the battlefield.”

Word by Word

• परिवत्रू: Parivatṛu (a warrior’s name)
• परिवत्रू: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• किरन्तः: scattering, showering
• किरन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॄ (धातु) → किरन्त् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• the slain warrior (vīraka)
• attendants/retainers (sevakāḥ)
• arrows (śara/bāṇa)
• battlefield (raṇa/raṇabhūmi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of steadfastness and the retainer’s loyalty: even after their leader falls, his followers continue their duty in combat, showing commitment and collective resolve amid the harsh demands of kṣatriya warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Bhīma being attacked with a heavy shower of arrows. After a particular warrior is killed, that warrior’s attendants retaliate by unleashing varied arrow volleys and surrounding Bhīma on all sides on the battlefield.