Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ते<र्जुनं सहिता भूत्वा रथवंशै: प्रहारिण: । अभियाय महेष्वासा विव्यधुर्निशितै: शरै:,तब वे महाधनुर्धर योद्धा संगठित हो रथसमूहोंके साथ चढ़ाई करके अर्जुनको तीखे बाणोंसे घायल करने लगे

Transliteration

te 'rjunaṃ sahitā bhūtvā rathavaṃśaiḥ prahāriṇaḥ | abhiyāya maheṣvāsā vivyadhur niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian para pemanah agung itu, bertindak seiring dan mara dalam kelompok-kelompok kereta perang, menekan Arjuna lalu melukainya dengan anak panah yang tajam dan runcing—gambaran serangan terkoordinasi di tengah etika tugas medan perang yang tidak mengenal belas.

Word by Word

तेthey (those warriors)

अर्जुनम्Arjuna

सहिताunited, assembled

भूत्वाhaving become

रथवंशैःwith chariot-poles/shafts

प्रहारिणःstrikers, assailants

अभियायhaving advanced/attacked

महेष्वासाःgreat bowmen (lit. those with great bows)

विव्यधुःthey pierced/wounded

निशितैःwith sharp

शरैःarrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Arjuna

chariots

arrows

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the reality of kṣatriya warfare: disciplined, collective action and unwavering engagement in one’s appointed duty, even when it brings harm and danger. It frames combat as organized effort rather than mere personal rage.

What is happening in the narrative?

A group of elite archers advances together in chariot formations and launches a concentrated volley, wounding Arjuna with sharp arrows during the fighting described by Sanjaya.