Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 36

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

तत्रार्जुनो नरव्याप्र: शरैर्मुक्तै: सहस्रशः

Transliteration

tatrārjuno naravyāpraḥ śarair muktaiḥ sahasraśaḥ

Translation

Санджая сказал: Там Арджуна, напрягая всю силу героя, выпускал стрелы тысячами. Под нравственным давлением битвы его выученная, дисциплинированная доблесть стала орудием долга, показывая, как решимость и мастерство собираются ради мрачной необходимости войны.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

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

• नरव्याप्रः: tiger among men (a mighty man)
• नरव्याप्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नरव्याप्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मुक्तैः: released, shot
• मुक्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सहस्रशः: by the thousand; in thousands
• सहस्रशः: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशस्

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined exertion in the performance of one’s role: Arjuna’s vigorous action is portrayed as purposeful effort in a dharmic context, where skill and resolve are directed toward the demands of a warrior’s duty, even amid the harshness of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna on the battlefield, intensely engaged and repeatedly discharging volleys of arrows—so many that they are counted ‘by the thousand’—indicating a peak moment of combat and momentum in the fight.