Shloka 75

Devanagari script

निर्मुक्तसर्पप्रतिमैरभी क्षणं तैलप्रधौतै: खगपत्रवाजै:

Transliteration

nirmuktasarpa-pratimair abhīkṣṇaṁ taila-pradhautaiḥ khagapatra-vājaiḥ

Translation

അവൻ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും അമ്പുകളാൽ പ്രഹരിക്കപ്പെട്ടു—തൊലി ഊരിയ സർപ്പങ്ങളെപ്പോലെ തിളങ്ങുന്നവ, എണ്ണയിൽ കഴുകിയതുപോലെ മിനുക്കമുള്ളവ, പക്ഷിച്ചിറകുപോലെ വേഗമുള്ളവ.

Word by Word

• निर्मुक्तसर्पप्रतिमैः: with (those) resembling cast-off snakeskins
• निर्मुक्तसर्पप्रतिमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मुक्तसर्प-प्रतिमा
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अभि: towards, against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तैलप्रधौतैः: washed/cleansed with oil
• तैलप्रधौतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तैल-प्रधौत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• खगपत्रवाजैः: with arrows having bird-feathers (fletched arrows)
• खगपत्रवाजैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खगपत्र-वाज
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (śara/bāṇa implied)
• snake (simile)
• oil (polishing imagery)
• bird-wings/feathers (simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war reduces action to relentless momentum: weapons become a continuous force, and a warrior’s dharma is tested through endurance, composure, and steadfastness amid suffering. The ethical tension lies in recognizing the terrible efficiency of violence while still observing one’s role-bound duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant being struck repeatedly by swift, polished arrows. The arrows are compared to freshly shed snakes and to bird-wing-like speed, emphasizing the rapid, unbroken barrage in the battle scene.