Shloka 39

Devanagari script

(तथा पुनर्जघानाशु पाण्डवानां महारथान्‌ | शरैरशनिकल्पैश्न शिताग्रैश्न सुपर्वभि: ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

tathā punar jaghānāśu pāṇḍavānāṁ mahārathān |

śarair aśanikalpaiś ca śitāgraiś ca suparvabhiḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Затем он вновь, с молниеносной силой, обрушился на великих колесничих-ратников Пандавов, осыпая их стрелами, подобными громовым молниям,—остроконечными и крепко сочленёнными,—так что поле брани словно превратилось в железную бурю. Этот отрывок подчёркивает нравственное давление войны: даже сильнейшие становятся уязвимы перед неослабевающим насилием, и долг защиты ложится на тех, кто способен вырвать союзников из бездны отчаяния.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

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

• जघान: struck, smote, slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (√हन्)
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, singular, Parasmaipada

• आशु: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• अशनिकल्पैः: like thunderbolts
• अशनिकल्पैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशनिकल्प
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• शिताग्रैः: sharp-pointed
• शिताग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिताग्र
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• सुपर्वभिः: well-jointed (well-barbed/with good nodes)
• सुपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुपर्वन्
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāṇḍavas
• mahārathas
• arrows (śara)
• thunderbolt (aśani)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of dharma in war: skill and duty manifest as relentless force, yet such force creates suffering that demands counter-duty—protection and rescue of one’s side. It frames martial excellence as ethically weighty, not merely triumphant.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the opposing commander again rapidly assails the Pāṇḍava elite with thunderbolt-like, sharp, well-made arrows, intensifying the crisis on the battlefield and setting the stage for a response by protectors on the Pāṇḍava side.