Shloka 50

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

तानन्तरिक्षे विशिखैस्त्रिधैिकैकमशातयत्‌

Transliteration

tān antarikṣe viśikhaiḥ tridhāikaṁ aśātayat

Translation

ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ໃນຂະນະທີ່ລູກສອນນັ້ນຍັງຢູ່ກາງອາກາດ, ເຂົາໄດ້ຕີມັນດ້ວຍລູກສອນຂອງຕົນ ແລະຜ່າອາວຸດອັນດຽວນັ້ນເປັນສາມສ່ວນ. ຄຳບັນຍາຍນີ້ຊູ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນຄວາມແມ່ນຍຳອັນໂຫດຮ້າຍຂອງຝີມືການຮົບ—ແມ່ນແຕ່ການບິນຂອງອາວຸດກໍຖືກສະກັດກັ້ນ—ຊີ້ວ່າຄວາມຊຳນານແລະຄວາມຕື່ນຕົວອາດຕັດສິນຊີວິດແລະຄວາມຕາຍໃນພຽງຊົ່ວພິບຕາ.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अन्तरिक्षे: in the sky / mid-air
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विशिखैः: with arrows
• विशिखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• त्रिधा: into three parts / threefold
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा

• एकम्: one (each)
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अशातयत्: he cut / split / shattered
• Type: Verb
• Root: शत् (शतयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrow/missile (śara/viśikha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical tension of war: extraordinary skill and vigilance can neutralize threats instantly, yet such brilliance is exercised within a destructive context. It invites reflection on how human excellence (śaurya/kaushala) can serve either protection or devastation depending on the larger dharmic frame.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combat moment where an incoming arrow, still flying through the air, is intercepted and split into three by counter-arrows—an image of elite archery and rapid tactical response on the battlefield.