Shloka 27

Devanagari script

निरस्तजिद्दानेत्रान्ता वाजिन: सह सादिभि: | पतिता: पात्यमानाश्ष क्षितौ क्षीणा विशेरते,'ये कौरवपक्षके सवारोंसहित घोड़े क्षत-विक्षत हो, अर्जुनके द्वारा गिराये जा रहे हैं। इनकी जीभें और आँखें बाहर निकल आयी हैं। ये गिरकर पृथ्वीपर सो रहे हैं

Transliteration

nirasta-jihvā-netrāntā vājiṇaḥ saha sādibhiḥ | patitāḥ pātyamānāś ca kṣitau kṣīṇā viśerate ||

Translation

निरस्तजिह्वानेत्रान्ता वाजिनः सहसादिभिः । पतिताः पात्यमानाश्च क्षितौ क्षीणाः शेरते ॥

Word by Word

निरस्तthrown down, cast off

जिह्वाtongue

नेत्रeyes

अन्ताःends; extremities (i.e., protruding ends)

वाजिनःhorses

सहtogether with

सादिभिःwith riders

पतिताःfallen

पात्यमानाःbeing made to fall, being felled

क्षितौon the ground

क्षीणाःexhausted, weakened

विशेरतेlie down; rest; remain lying

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

horses (vājiṇaḥ)

riders/horsemen (sādinaḥ)

earth/ground (kṣiti)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the stark cost of war: not only warriors but also animals suffer grievously. In the Mahabharata’s ethical horizon, such imagery functions as a reminder that even when battle is undertaken under kṣatriya-dharma, its consequences are tragic and morally weighty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the thick of the Karṇa Parva battle, Arjuna describes the immediate battlefield scene: horses and their mounted riders on the Kaurava side are being struck down by his assault, collapsing to the ground in exhaustion and mortal agony.