Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सहदेवं समासाद्य त्रिभिरविव्याध सायकै: । तानपास्य शरान्‌ मुक्तान्‌ शरसंघै: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

sahadevaṁ samāsādya tribhir avivyādha sāyakaiḥ | tān apāsya śarān muktān śarasaṅghaiḥ pratāpavān |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Closing in upon Sahadeva, the mighty warrior pierced him with three arrows. Then, brushing aside the shafts that had been released at him, he—full of martial ardour—answered with volleys of arrows, sustaining the fierce rhythm of battle where courage and duty are tested amid violence.

Word by Word

• सहदेवम्: Sahadeva (as object)
• सहदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समासाद्य: having approached / reaching
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अविव्याध: pierced / struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तान्: those (arrows)
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपास्य: having warded off / having cast aside
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-√अस्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

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

• मुक्तान्: released / shot
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शर-संघैः: with clusters/volleys of arrows
• शर-संघैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरसंघ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रतापवान्: the mighty/valiant one
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• सहदेव (Sahadeva)
• शर (arrows)
• सायक (missiles/arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield form: steadiness under attack, disciplined response, and the display of prowess without collapse into panic—an ethical ideal of composure and duty amid danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful warrior closes in on Sahadeva and strikes him with three arrows; then, after parrying the arrows shot at him, he retaliates by releasing dense volleys of arrows, intensifying the duel.