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Shloka 9

आपके पुत्रोंकी उस विशाल सेनामें मनुष्य और अश्व तो थक गये थे, परंतु बड़े-बड़े हाथी उद्धत होकर आगे बढ़ रहे थे। उस सेनाने अर्जुनकी गति रोक दी ।। शक्त्यृष्टितोमरप्रासैर्गदानिस्त्रिंशसायकै: । प्राच्छादयन्‌ महेष्वासा: कुरव: कुरुनन्दनम्‌,उन महाथधनुर्धर कौरवोंने कुरुकुलनन्दन अर्जुनको शक्ति, ऋष्टि, तोमर, प्रास, गदा, खड्ग और बाणोंके द्वारा ढक दिया

śaktyṛṣṭitomaraprāsair gadāniśtriṃśasāyakaiḥ | prācchādayan maheṣvāsāḥ kuravaḥ kurunandanam ||

Санджая сказал: В том огромном войске твоих сыновей люди и кони уже изнемогли, но большие слоны, разъярённые, всё же шли вперёд; и это войско задержало стремительность Арджуны. Тогда могучие лучники куру осыпали Куру-нандану Арджуну со всех сторон бурей оружия — дротиками, копьями, томарами, пиками, булавами, мечами и стрелами.

शक्त्यृष्टितोमरप्रासैःwith spears, javelins, tomaras and lances
शक्त्यृष्टितोमरप्रासैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशक्ति + ऋष्टि + तोमर + प्रास
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
गदानिस्त्रिंशसायकैःwith maces, swords and arrows
गदानिस्त्रिंशसायकैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगदा + निस्त्रिंश + सायक
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
प्राच्छादयन्they covered/veiled
प्राच्छादयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-छाद्
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Plural
महेष्वासाःgreat bowmen
महेष्वासाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहेष्वास
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कुरवःthe Kurus (Kauravas)
कुरवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकुरु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कुरुनन्दनम्the delight of the Kurus (Arjuna)
कुरुनन्दनम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुरुनन्दन
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
Arjuna (Kurunandana)
K
Kurus/Kauravas
Ś
śakti (javelin)
ṛṣṭi (spear)
T
tomara
P
prāsa (lance)
G
gadā (mace)
N
niśtriṃśa (sword)
S
sāyaka (arrows)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the escalation and impersonality of battlefield violence: many warriors combine their strength to overwhelm a single foe. Ethically, it points to how war multiplies harm through collective action, even when framed as kṣatriya duty, and invites reflection on restraint and responsibility amid conflict.

Sañjaya describes Arjuna being targeted by Kuru warriors who unleash a dense barrage of varied weapons—javelins, spears, tomaras, lances, maces, swords, and arrows—so that he is ‘covered’ by missiles, an image of intense pressure meant to halt or contain his movement in the battle.