Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वरायुधान्‌ पाणिगतै: शरै:ः सह क्षुरैन्यकृन्तत्‌ प्रपतन्‌ शिरांसि च

Transliteration

varāyudhān pāṇigataiḥ śaraiḥ saha kṣuraiḥ nyakṛntat prapatan śirāṃsi ca

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ತನ್ನ ಕೈಯಿಂದ ಹಾರಿಸಿದ ಬಾಣಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕ್ಷುರಧಾರ ಶರಗಳನ್ನು ಬಳಸಿ, ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಆಯುಧಧಾರಿಗಳಾದ ಯೋಧರ ತಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸಿದನು; ಅವರು ನೆಲಕ್ಕೆ ಬಿದ್ದರು।

Word by Word

वरायुधान्those with excellent weapons / well-armed (men)

पाणिगतैःheld in the hand

शरैःwith arrows

सहtogether with

क्षुरैःwith razors/razor-edged (weapons)

न्यकृन्तत्cut off / severed

प्रपतन्falling (down)

शिरांसिheads

चand

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

arrows (śara)

razor-edged shafts (kṣura)

heads (śiras)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim ethical reality of war: even extraordinary martial prowess results in devastating loss of life. It invites reflection on the cost of kṣatriya warfare and the tragic momentum that overtakes combatants once battle is joined.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a warrior’s fierce assault: using hand-shot arrows, including razor-edged shafts, he severs the heads of well-armed fighters, and their heads fall to the ground—an image emphasizing the intensity and brutality of the engagement.