Shloka 48

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

ततो<स्य निशितैर्बाणै: सर्वान्‌ हत्वा पदानुगान्‌

Transliteration

tato 'sya niśitair bāṇaiḥ sarvān hatvā padānugān

Translation

പിന്നീട് അവൻ മൂർച്ചയുള്ള അമ്പുകളാൽ അവനെ പിന്തുടർന്നിരുന്ന എല്ലാ പദാനുഗന്മാരെയും വധിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)

• पदानुगान्: foot-followers; attendants
• पदानुगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पदानुग
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (bāṇa)
• followers/attendants (padānugāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield reality within kṣatriya-dharma: removing a warrior’s immediate followers and support can decisively weaken him. Ethically, it reflects the harsh, consequential logic of war where protection, loyalty, and proximity to power also bring grave risk.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior (referred to as 'him') uses sharp arrows to kill all the 'padānugāḥ'—those moving behind him as attendants or followers—thereby isolating him in the ongoing combat.