Shloka 29

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

अश्वारोहान्‌ हतैरश्वैरगहीतासीन्‌ समनन्‍्ततः । द्रवमाणानपश्याम द्राव्यमाणांश्व॒ संयुगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

aśvārōhān hatair aśvair agahītāsīn samantataḥ |

dravamāṇān apaśyāma drāvyamāṇāṃś ca saṃyuge ||

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「その戦いで私は見た。馬を討たれた騎兵が多く、剣を手にしながらも乗る馬を失い、四方へ逃げ散り、敵に押し返され追い立てられていた。」

Word by Word

• अश्वारोहान्: horsemen
• अश्वारोहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वारोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हतैः: by slain (ones)
• हतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन्)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्वैः: by horses
• अश्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अगहीतासीन्: having (their) swords not seized / without having taken up swords
• अगहीतासीन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगृहीतासि (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + गृहीत + असि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• द्रवमाणान्: fleeing, running away
• द्रवमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रवमाण (कृदन्त; √द्रु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपश्याम: we saw
• अपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• द्राव्यमाणान्: being driven/chased away
• द्राव्यमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्राव्यमाण (कृदन्त; √द्रु, णिच् causative)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horsemen (aśvārōha)
• horses (aśva)
• sword (as implied by the Hindi gloss: talavāra/asi)
• battlefield (saṃyuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly strength in war: when the external supports of power (like mounts, formations, allies) are destroyed, even trained warriors can fall into fear and flight. It implicitly contrasts mere force with steadiness of mind and disciplined duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he witnesses on the battlefield: many cavalrymen, their horses slain, are left dismounted with weapons in hand, scattering in all directions while enemies pursue and rout them.