Shloka 20

दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra

Devanagari script

प्रतिविन्ध्यस्ततश्रित्रं भित्ता पठचभिराशुगै: । सारथिं च त्रिभिरविंद्ध्वा ध्वजमेकेषुणापि च

Transliteration

prativindhyas tataḥ śitraṃ bhittvā pañcabhir āśugaiḥ | sārathiṃ ca tribhir avindhyā dhvajam ekeṣuṇāpi ca ||

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Então Prativindhya, após perfurar a armadura do adversário com cinco flechas velozes, atingiu o auriga com mais três; e com uma única flecha também feriu o estandarte. Foi uma demonstração enfática de precisão em meio à ética implacável da perícia no campo de batalha, onde a proeza se mede pela força controlada, e não pela simples fúria.

Word by Word

• प्रतिविन्ध्यः: Prativindhya (name)
• प्रतिविन्ध्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिविन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (numeral, indeclinable-like but declines here), Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• भिः: with (rays/splendours) / (uncertain reading)
• भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• आशुगैः: swift (arrows)
• आशुगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (numeral), Instrumental, Plural

• अविन्ध्य: having struck/pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: विध् (धातु) with preverb अव-
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-सम (absolutive; irregular/epic form), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकेषुणा: with a single arrow
• एकेषुणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• प्रतिविन्ध्य (Prativindhya)
• सारथि (charioteer)
• ध्वज (banner/standard)
• आशुग (swift arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined martial excellence: even in war, a warrior’s power is shown through precision and control—piercing armor, targeting the charioteer, and striking the banner—rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Prativindhya shoots a sequence of arrows: five to pierce the opponent’s armor, three to wound the charioteer, and one to strike the chariot’s banner, signaling dominance in the ongoing battle.