Shloka 16

अन्धकार-रजःसंमूढे रणाङ्गणे प्रदीपप्रकाशः | Illumination of the Army in Darkness and Dust

Devanagari script

ते तस्य कवचं भिन्त्वा तथा बाहुं च दक्षिणम्‌ अभ्ययुर्धरणीं तीक्ष्णा वल्मीकमिव पन्नगा:,वे तीखे बाण कर्णके कवच तथा दाहिनी भुजाको विदीर्ण करके बाँबीमें घुसनेवाले सर्पोंके समान धरतीमें समा गये

Transliteration

te tasya kavacaṁ bhittvā tathā bāhuṁ ca dakṣiṇam | abhyayur dharaṇīṁ tīkṣṇā valmīkam iva pannagāḥ ||

Translation

ສັນຈະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ລູກສອນອັນແຫຼມຄົມເຫຼົ່ານັ້ນ ໄດ້ທະລຸເກາະຂອງລາວ ແລະທະລຸແຂນຂວາ ແລ້ວດຳດິ່ງລົງສູ່ດິນ—ດັ່ງງູລື່ນເຂົ້າໄປໃນຈອມປວກ.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• कवचम्: armor
• कवचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/broken
• भित्त्वा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• तथा: also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• बाहुम्: arm
• बाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• दक्षिणम्: right (hand/arm)
• दक्षिणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्ययुः: they went into/entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-या
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• धरणीम्: the earth/ground
• धरणीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• तीक्ष्णाः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वल्मीकम्: anthill
• वल्मीकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्मीक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पन्नगाः: serpents
• पन्नगाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• कवच (armour)
• दक्षिण बाहु (right arm)
• धरणी (earth/ground)
• वल्मीक (anthill)
• पन्नग (serpents)
• तीक्ष्ण बाण (sharp arrows; implied)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark mechanics of war: even strong protection (armour) fails before determined force (sharp arrows). Ethically, it serves as a reminder of the grave cost of conflict and the fragility of the body amid kṣatriya warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes arrows that, after piercing a warrior’s armour and right arm, continue onward and sink into the earth, compared to snakes entering an anthill—emphasizing their speed, sharpness, and unstoppable momentum.