Shloka 48

Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

क्षीणायुधे सात्वते युध्यमाने ततोअब्रवीदर्जुनं वासुदेव: । पश्यस्वैनं विरथं युध्यमानं रणे वरं सर्वधनुर्धराणाम्‌

Transliteration

kṣīṇāyudhe sātvate yudhyamāne tato 'bravīd arjunaṃ vāsudevaḥ | paśyainam virathaṃ yudhyamānaṃ raṇe varaṃ sarvadhanuṣdharāṇām ||

Translation

サञ्जयは言った。サートヴァタの勇士が武器を使い尽くしてなお戦っていたとき、ヴァースデーヴァはアルジュナに告げた。「見よ、彼を。戦車を失っても戦い続ける。あらゆる弓手の中で、戦場において最も優れた者だ。」この場面は、不屈の勇気と、苛烈な戦の只中で敵にさえ宿る武勇を目撃し認めることの倫理的重みを示している。

Word by Word

• क्षीणायुधे: when (he) whose weapons were exhausted
• क्षीणायुधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीणायुध
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सात्वते: in/with the Sātvata (Kṛṣṇa)
• सात्वते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्वत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युध्यमाने: while fighting
• युध्यमाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• ततः: then/from thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अर्जुनम्: to Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वासुदेवः: Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पश्यस्व: see!/behold!
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश्
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• एनम्: this one/him
• एनम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विरथम्: without a chariot (dismounted)
• विरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युध्यमानम्: fighting
• युध्यमानम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• वरम्: excellent, best
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वधनुर्धराणाम्: of all bowmen
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वधनुर्धर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• battlefield (raṇa)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid righteous warfare, one should recognize and acknowledge extraordinary courage and skill; ethical perception includes seeing merit clearly, not only hostility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that as the Sātvata hero fights with depleted means, Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) draws Arjuna’s attention to a chariotless warrior still battling fiercely, calling him the foremost among archers.