Shloka 36

Devanagari script

तमुद्यतमहाचापं दृष्टवा ते व्यथिता नृपा:

Transliteration

tam udyata-mahā-cāpaṁ dṛṣṭvā te vyathitā nṛpāḥ

Translation

तमुद्यतमहाचापं दृष्ट्वा ते व्यथिता नृपाः। महाचापं समुद्धृत्य स्थितं तं वीक्ष्य नृपाः सन्त्रस्तमनसोऽभवन्॥

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उद्यत-महा-चापम्: having a great bow held aloft/raised
• उद्यत-महा-चापम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत + महा + चाप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• व्यथिताः: distressed, shaken
• व्यथिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यथित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• him (unnamed warrior)
• kings (nṛpāḥ)
• great bow (mahācāpa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the display of disciplined martial readiness can unsettle even powerful leaders, reminding readers that in dharmic warfare inner steadiness is as crucial as weapons—fear arises when resolve is not anchored in duty and clarity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the assembled kings become alarmed upon seeing a formidable warrior with his mighty bow lifted to strike, signaling an imminent and dangerous turn in the battle.