Previous Verse

Shloka 5236

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

न चेदस्त्राणि निर्णेशु: स कथं निहतः परे: । यदि उसका रथ नहीं टूट गया था, धनुषके टुकड़े-टुकड़े नहीं हो गये थे और अस्त्र नहीं नष्ट हुए थे, तब शत्रुओंने उसे किस प्रकार मार दिया?

na ced astrāṇi nirṇeśuḥ sa kathaṃ nihataḥ paraiḥ |

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ຖ້າອາວຸດຂອງເຂົາບໍ່ຖືກເຮັດໃຫ້ໃຊ້ການບໍ່ໄດ້ ແລ້ວສັດຕູຈະສັງຫານເຂົາໄດ້ແນວໃດ? ຖ້າລົດຮົບຂອງເຂົາບໍ່ແຕກພັງ, ຄັນທະນູບໍ່ຖືກທຸບແຕກເປັນຊິ້ນໆ, ແລະອາວຸດຍິງບໍ່ຖືກທໍາລາຍ ສັດຕູໄດ້ໃຊ້ວິທີໃດຈຶ່ງສັງຫານເຂົາໄດ້?»

not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
चेत्if
चेत्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत्
अस्त्राणिweapons/missiles
अस्त्राणि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअस्त्र
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
निर्णेशुःwere destroyed/perished
निर्णेशुः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि√नश् (नश्यति)
FormPerfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कथम्how
कथम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम्
निहतःkilled/slain
निहतः:
TypeVerb
Rootनि√हन्
FormPast Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
परैःby the enemies/others
परैः:
Karana
TypeNoun/Adjective
Rootपर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
A
astrāṇi (weapons/missiles)
R
ratha (chariot)
D
dhanus (bow)
P
parāḥ (enemies)

Educational Q&A

The verse frames a moral-narrative puzzle: a great warrior is not defeated merely by strength, but through the collapse of supports—weaponry, chariot, and tactical advantage—suggesting the interplay of fate, circumstance, and the ethical tensions of war.

Vaiśampāyana raises a pointed question about the manner of a warrior’s death: if his arms and equipment had not failed, the enemies could not have killed him—implying that some decisive disabling event (loss of weapons/chariot/bow) preceded his fall.