Shloka 10

Pāṇḍya-vadha-anantaram Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Response and the Renewed Battle

Devanagari script

सुकल्पिता: स्यन्दनवाजिनागा: समास्थिता: कृतयत्नैर्नवीरै: । पार्थेरितैर्बाणशतैर्निरस्ता- स्तैरेव सार्थ नृवरैनिपितु:

Transliteration

sukalpitāḥ syandanavājināgāḥ samāsthitāḥ kṛtayatnair navīraiḥ | pārtheritair bāṇaśatair nirastās tair eva sārtha nṛvarair nipetuḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସୁସଜ୍ଜିତ ରଥ, ଘୋଡ଼ା ଓ ହାତୀ ସଜାଗ ଥିଲେ; ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ପ୍ରୟାସପୂର୍ବକ ଯୁଦ୍ଧ କରୁଥିବା ନବବୀରମାନେ ଆସୀନ ଥିଲେ। କିନ୍ତୁ ପାର୍ଥ ଛାଡ଼ିଥିବା ଶତଶତ ବାଣରେ ଆହତ ହୋଇ, ସେଇ ବାହନଗୁଡ଼ିକ ସେହି ନରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଭୂମିରେ ପତିତ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

• सुकल्पिताः: well-arranged, well-equipped
• सुकल्पिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकल्पित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्यन्दन-वाजि-नागाः: chariots, horses, and elephants
• स्यन्दन-वाजि-नागाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन + वाजिन् + नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समास्थिताः: were stationed/posted
• समास्थिताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु: स्था)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कृत-यत्नैः: by those who had made effort (strenuous)
• कृत-यत्नैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• नवीरैः: by heroic men/warriors
• नवीरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरवीर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पार्थ-ईरितैः: shot/impelled by Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ-ईरितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्थ + ईरित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बाण-शतैः: by hundreds of arrows
• बाण-शतैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणशत
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• निरस्ताः: were cast down/overthrown
• निरस्ताः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्-स्त (धातु: स्तृ/स्तॄ?; here as past passive participle in sense 'thrown down/struck down')
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तैः: by them/with those (same)
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एव: indeed, just, only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• सार्थम्: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्थ

• नृ-वरैः: with the best of men (warriors)
• नृ-वरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृवर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• निपेतुः: fell down, collapsed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत् (धातु: पत्)
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• chariots (syandana)
• horses (vājin)
• elephants (nāga)
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of worldly strength in war: even well-prepared forces and brave fighters can be instantly undone by superior martial skill. Ethically, it points to the harsh reality of kṣatriya conflict—valor and effort do not guarantee survival, and outcomes often hinge on mastery and circumstance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where well-equipped chariots, horses, and elephants, mounted by eager warriors, are struck by Arjuna’s volleys of arrows. The vehicles and their riders are overthrown together, emphasizing Arjuna’s overwhelming effectiveness.