Shloka 90

Devanagari script

तान्‌ पञ्च भल्लैर्दशभि: सुमुक्ति- स्त्रिधा त्रिधैकेकमथोच्चकर्त । धनंजयास्त्रैन्यपतन्‌ पृथिव्यां महाहयस्तक्षकपुत्रपक्षा:

Transliteration

tān pañca bhallair daśabhiḥ sumuktis tridha tridhā ekam athoccakarta | dhanañjayāstrāi nyapatan pṛthivyāṃ mahāhayas takṣakaputrapakṣāḥ ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ପାଞ୍ଚଟି ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ ଭଲ୍ଲ ଓ ସୁପ୍ରୟୁକ୍ତ ଦଶଟି ଶରରେ ସେ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ପୁନଃପୁନଃ କାଟି ଖଣ୍ଡଖଣ୍ଡ କଲେ; ତାପରେ ଆଉ ଗୋଟିଏକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଛିନ୍ନ କରିଦେଲେ। ଧନଞ୍ଜୟଙ୍କ ଅସ୍ତ୍ରରେ ଆହତ, ତକ୍ଷକପୁତ୍ର ସଦୃଶ ବେଗଶାଳୀ ମହାଘୋଡ଼ାମାନେ ପୃଥିବୀରେ ପଡ଼ିଗଲେ।

Word by Word

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

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karma
• Type: Numeral
• Root: पञ्चन्
• Form: Indeclinable (numeral used adjectivally), Plural (sense)

• भल्लैः: with arrows (bhallas)
• भल्लैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Instrumental, Plural

• सुमुक्तिः: a well-released (shot)
• सुमुक्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमुक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रिधा: in three ways / into three parts
• त्रिधा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा

• त्रिधा: thrice / into three
• त्रिधा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिधा

• एकम्: one (each)
• एकम्: Karma
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• उच्चकर्त: cut up / cut asunder
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + कृ (कर्त्)
• Form: Aorist (luṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धनंजय: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजय: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper)
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons/missiles
• अस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• न्यपतन्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत्
• Form: Imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

• महाहयाः: great horses
• महाहयाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाहय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तक्षकपुत्रपक्षाः: having wings like the sons of Takṣaka / Takṣaka’s sons’ wings (i.e., swift as serpent-birds)
• तक्षकपुत्रपक्षाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्षक-पुत्र-पक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• Takṣaka
• bhalla (arrow)
• astra (missile/weapon)
• mahāhaya (great horses)
• pṛthivī (earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the decisive power of disciplined skill (śastra-kauśala) in kṣatriya warfare, while implicitly reminding the listener that such prowess manifests as real, immediate harm—living beings (the horses) fall, and victory is purchased through suffering.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where expertly released arrows sever their targets repeatedly; then Arjuna (Dhanañjaya), using his astras, strikes down the great, swift horses—likened to the offspring of the nāga Takṣaka—so that they collapse onto the ground.