Shloka 8

Strī-parva Adhyāya 22 — Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Lament for the Fallen (Āvantya, Bāhlika, Jayadratha, and Duḥśalā)

Devanagari script

एकादश चमूर्भित्त्वा रक्ष्यमाणं महात्मना । सत्यं चिकीर्षता पश्य हतमेनं जयद्रथम्‌

Transliteration

ekādaśa camūrbhittvā rakṣyamāṇaṁ mahātmanā | satyaṁ cikīrṣatā paśya hatam enaṁ jayadratham ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Having broken through eleven battle-formations, behold Jayadratha lying slain—though he was being guarded by a great warrior—because one was resolved to make a solemn vow come true.”

Word by Word

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• चमूः: armies (battle-formations)
• चमूः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चमू
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/broken through
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for gerund)

• रक्ष्यमाणम्: being protected/guarded
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष्
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Passive

• महात्मना: by the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चिकीर्षता: by (one) wishing/intending to do (it)
• चिकीर्षता: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Instrumental, Singular, Active

• पश्य: see!
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: लोट् (imperative), Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• हतम्: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular, Passive

• एनम्: this (him)
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जयद्रथम्: Jayadratha
• जयद्रथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: जयद्रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Jayadratha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical force of satya as fidelity to one’s pledged word: a determined commitment to fulfill a vow can drive extraordinary effort even amid extreme danger, and it frames success in war as morally charged by intention and resolve.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator points to Jayadratha’s death and emphasizes how he was reached despite heavy protection: eleven military divisions were pierced, and the killing is presented as the outcome of a warrior’s determination to make a vow come true.