Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं सम्प्रेक्ष्य गन्धर्वाणां महाचमूम्‌ । महता शरवर्षेण सो< भ्यवर्षदरिंदम:,गन्धरवोकी उस विशाल सेनाको अपनी ओर आती देख शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले वीर दुर्योधनने उसपर बाणोंकी बड़ी भारी वर्षा प्रारम्भ कर दी

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṃ samprekṣya gandharvāṇāṃ mahācamūm | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa so 'bhyavarṣad arindamaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing that great host of the Gandharvas rushing toward him, the enemy-subduing hero Duryodhana began to shower it with a mighty rain of arrows. The scene underscores how pride and the urge to dominate can drive one to meet overwhelming force with escalation rather than restraint.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (army)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आपतन्तीम्: rushing/charging (towards)
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपत् (धातु) → आपतन्ती (वर्तमान कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having seen
• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईक्ष् (धातु) → सम्प्रेक्ष्य (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive)

• गन्धर्वाणाम्: of the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• महाचमूम्: the great army
• महाचमूम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाचमू (प्रातिपदिक: महा + चमू)
• Form: स्त्री, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महता: with great (force)
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• शरवर्षेण: by a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक: शर + वर्ष)
• Form: नपुं, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभ्यवर्षत्: rained upon / showered (arrows) on
• अभ्यवर्षत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतन भूत), प्रथम, एकवचन

• अरिंदमः: enemy-subduing (one)
• अरिंदमः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अरिंदम (प्रातिपदिक: अरि + दम)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Gandharvas
• Duryodhana
• mahācamū (great host/army)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a warrior’s instinct for dominance and reputation can lead to immediate escalation in violence; ethically, it invites reflection on when martial duty becomes entangled with pride and imprudence.

What is happening in the narrative?

A large Gandharva force charges in; Duryodhana, seeing them advance, responds by unleashing an intense volley of arrows against their host.