Shloka 16

Pāṇḍya-vadha-anantaram Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Response and the Renewed Battle

Devanagari script

इस प्रकार श्रीमह्मााभारत कर्णपर्वमें अश्वत्थागा और अर्जुनका संवादविषयक सोलहवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ

Transliteration

tam arjunas tāṁ śva punaḥ tvadīyān abhyarditas tair abhisṛtya śastraiḥ | bāṇāndhakāraṁ sahasaiva kṛtvā vivyādha sarvān iṣubhiḥ supuṅkhaiḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ସେହି ବାଣମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପୀଡିତ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ତତ୍କ୍ଷଣାତ୍ ଆଗକୁ ବଢ଼ି, ନିଜ ଶସ୍ତ୍ରଦ୍ୱାରା ଶତ୍ରୁର ବାଣସୃଷ୍ଟ ଅନ୍ଧକାରକୁ ଏକ ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ନିବାରଣ କରି, ସୁପଙ୍ଖ ବାଣଦ୍ୱାରା ଦ୍ରୌଣି ଅଶ୍ୱତ୍ଥାମାଙ୍କୁ ଓ ତୁମ ଅନ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତ ସେନାକୁ ପୁନର୍ବାର ବିଦ୍ଧ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• श्वः: tomorrow / on the morrow
• श्वः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वस्

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• त्वदीयान्: your (men/soldiers)
• त्वदीयान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वदीय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभ्यर्दितः: afflicted, harassed
• अभ्यर्दितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यर्दित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अभिसृत्य: having advanced/approached
• अभिसृत्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√सृ (सृ)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• शस्त्रैः: with weapons
• शस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाण-अन्धकारम्: the darkness (caused) by arrows
• बाण-अन्धकारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण + अन्धकार
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा

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

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• विव्याध: pierced, wounded
• विव्याध: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√व्यध् (व्यध्)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सर्वान्: all (of them)
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• इषुभिः: with arrows
• इषुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सु-पुङ्खैः: with well-feathered (arrows)
• सु-पुङ्खैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पुङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Aśvatthāmā
• Kaurava troops (tvadīyāḥ)
• arrows (iṣu/bāṇa)
• weapons (śastra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic: clarity and decisive action can dispel confusion (‘arrow-darkness’), yet such clarity is exercised within the harsh framework of kṣatriya-dharma where prowess is expressed through wounding opponents. It implicitly contrasts inner steadiness with the external chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna, pressured by Aśvatthāmā and the Kaurava forces, advances and counters a dense volley of arrows described as ‘darkness.’ He breaks through that barrage and strikes Aśvatthāmā and the surrounding Kaurava soldiers with his own well-feathered arrows.