Shloka 34
Devanagari script
ततो गजशिर:प्रख्यैरुपलै: शैलवासिन: । उद्यतैर्युयुधानस्य पुरतस्तस्थुराहवे
Transliteration
tato gajaśiraḥprakhyair upalaiḥ śailavāsinaḥ | udyatair yuyudhānasya puratas tasthur āhave ||
Translation
அப்போது மலைவாசி வீரர்கள் யானைத் தலைபோன்ற பெரும் பாறைகளை உயர்த்திக் கொண்டு, போர்க்களத்தில் யுயுதானனின் முன்னே போருக்குத் தயாராய் நின்றனர்.
Word by Word
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
FormAvyaya
गजशिरःप्रख्यैःwith (stones) resembling an elephant’s head
गजशिरःप्रख्यैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootगजशिरःप्रख्य
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural
उपलैःwith stones, rocks
उपलैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootउपल
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
शैलवासिनःmountain-dwellers
शैलवासिनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशैलवासिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
उद्यतैःraised, uplifted (in hand)
उद्यतैः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootउद्यत
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
युयुधानस्यof Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
युयुधानस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुयुधान
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
पुरतःin front (of)
पुरतः:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरतः
FormAvyaya
तस्थुःstood
तस्थुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural
आहवेin battle
आहवे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootआहव
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SanjayaY
Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)Ś
śailavāsinaḥ (mountain-dwelling warriors)U
upala (stones/boulders)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
The verse highlights the brutal pragmatism of war: when formal weapons are insufficient, fighters weaponize whatever is available. Ethically, it points to how conflict escalates into raw force, testing restraint and dharma amid survival-driven violence.
Mountain-dwelling fighters step forward against Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki), holding up huge boulders like elephant heads, positioning themselves directly before him to engage in combat.