Shloka 40
Śiva’s Battlefield Manifestation and Vyāsa’s Śatarudrīya Exposition (शिवप्रादुर्भावः शतरुद्रीयव्याख्यानम्)
Devanagari script
तौ तु विद्ध्वा महाराज पाण्डवो निशितै:शरै:
Transliteration
tau tu viddhvā mahārāja pāṇḍavo niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
Translation
सञ्जय उवाच—महाराज, तौ विद्ध्वा पाण्डवो निशितैः शरैः समरे युद्धं प्रचोदयामास।
Word by Word
तौthose two (them)
तौ:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Dual
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
विद्ध्वाhaving pierced/struck
विद्ध्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootव्यध् (विध्)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)
महाराजO great king
महाराज:
TypeNoun
Rootमहाराज
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
पाण्डवःthe Pandava (Arjuna/Yudhishthira etc.; here: a Pandava)
पाण्डवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootपाण्डव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
निशितैःwith sharp
निशितैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootनिशित
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
शरैःarrows
शरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SañjayaM
Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra, addressed)P
PāṇḍavaŚ
Śara (arrows)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Cross References
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the harsh reality of kṣatriya-duty in war: action is executed with precision and resolve, while the ethical weight lies in fulfilling one’s role amid unavoidable violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a Pāṇḍava warrior pierces ‘those two’ opponents with sharp arrows, marking a decisive moment in the ongoing combat sequence.