Shloka 41

Devanagari script

यथा यथाहमिच्छेयं तथा भूत्वा शरा मम

Transliteration

yathā yathāham iccheyaṃ tathā bhūtvā śarā mama

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「我が望むがままに、そのとおりとなれ――我が矢は（その意のままに働く）。」

Word by Word

• यथा: as, in whatever manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• यथा: just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम्
• Form: common, nominative, singular

• इच्छेयम्: may I wish/desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: optative (vidhiling), 1st, singular, parasmaipada

• तथा: so, thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वा), parasmaipada

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• मम: of me, my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: common, genitive, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (śarāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights the idea of instruments (here, arrows) functioning as extensions of a warrior’s will—raising ethical questions about agency and responsibility in battle: even when weapons seem to act ‘as wished,’ the moral burden remains with the one who directs them.

What is happening in the narrative?

Within the war narrative of the Droṇa Parva, Sañjaya reports a moment emphasizing martial efficacy: the speaker conveys that the arrows conform to the archer’s intention, suggesting extraordinary control or prowess in combat.