Shloka 41

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

त॑ तु योधा: परीप्सन्त: शारद्वतममर्षणम्‌ | सर्वतः समरे पार्थ शरवर्षरवाकिरन्‌

Transliteration

te tu yodhāḥ parīpsantaḥ śāradvata-mamarṣaṇam | sarvataḥ samare pārtha śaravarṣa-ravākiran ||

Translation

ആ യോദ്ധാക്കൾ ശാരദ്വതനായ കൃപനെ കീഴടക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ച്—യുദ്ധത്തിൽ അസഹ്യനും ദുര്ധർഷനും ആയ അവനെ—ഹേ പാർഥ, സമരത്തിൽ എല്ലാ ദിക്കുകളിൽ നിന്നുമുള്ള ഗർജ്ജിക്കുന്ന ശരവൃഷ്ടിയാൽ മൂടിക്കളഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

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

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• योधाः: warriors
• योधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: योध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परीप्सन्तः: desiring to obtain/seek
• परीप्सन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ईप्स्
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शारद्वतम्: the son of Śaradvat (Kṛpa)
• शारद्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारद्वत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमर्षणम्: unenduring, intolerant (of affront)
• अमर्षणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमर्षण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शर-वर्ष-रव-आकिरन्: they showered/scattered (with a roar of arrow-rain)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-किॄ (आकिरति)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Śāradvata (Aśvatthāman)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata tension: battlefield necessity often pushes warriors toward collective tactics (surrounding and massed missile fire) when facing an exceptionally formidable opponent. It invites reflection on how ideals of fair combat are strained under the pressure to neutralize overwhelming strength.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of warriors attempts to subdue Śāradvata (Aśvatthāman). Unable to check him easily, they attack from all directions, unleashing a loud, dense rain of arrows in the midst of battle, as the narrator addresses Arjuna (Pārtha).