Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ततस्तौ पुरुषव्याप्रौ सर्वलोकथधनुर्धरौ । त्यक्तप्राणौ रणे वीरौ युद्धश्रममुपागतौ । समुत्क्षेपैवीज्यमानौ सिक्तौ चन्दनवारिणा

Transliteration

tatastau puruṣavyāghrau sarvalokātha dhanurdharau | tyaktaprāṇau raṇe vīrau yuddhaśramamupāgatau | samutkṣepairvījyamānau siktau candanavāriṇā ||

Translation

ततः तौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ सर्वलोकेषु धनुर्धरौ प्रथितौ, रणे त्यक्तप्राणौ वीरौ युद्धश्रममुपागतौ। समुत्क्षेपैर्वीज्यमानौ सिक्तौ चन्दनवारिणा, क्षणमिव विश्रान्तिं लेभाते।

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तौthose two

पुरुषव्याघ्रौtigers among men

सर्वलोकधनुर्धरौbowmen famed in all the worlds

त्यक्तप्राणौhaving given up life; lifeless

रणेin battle

वीरौtwo heroes

युद्धश्रमम्fatigue of battle

उपागतौhaving reached; having come to (a state)

समुत्क्षेपैःby tossings/throwings (upward movements)

वीज्यमानौbeing fanned

सिक्तौsprinkled; anointed

चand

चन्दनवारिणाwith sandal(-scented) water

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

two unnamed warriors (tau)

fans (vījana implied by vījyamānau/samutkṣepa)

sandalwood water (candana-vāri)

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?

Even the greatest heroes, though committed to their chosen duty in war, remain human—subject to exhaustion and in need of care. The verse highlights the ethical tension of battle: life is risked for perceived duty, yet compassion and restoration still have a place amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two eminent archers who, after intense fighting and risking their lives, become weary. Attendants (or companions) fan them and sprinkle them with sandal-scented water, indicating a short pause and recovery before the conflict continues.