Shloka 14

Devanagari script

ते वध्यमाना: पार्थेन कालेनेव युगक्षये । पार्थमेवाभ्यवर्तन्त मरणे कृतनिश्चया:

Transliteration

te vadhyamānāḥ pārthena kāleneva yugakṣaye | pārtham evābhyavartanta maraṇe kṛtaniścayāḥ ||

Translation

పార్థుని చేత కొట్టబడుతూ వారు యుగాంతంలో కాలుడిచేత నశింపబడినవారిలా కనిపించారు; అయినా మరణాన్ని నిశ్చయించుకొని వారు పార్థుని వైపే దూసుకొచ్చారు।

Word by Word

तेthey

वध्यमानाःbeing slain

पार्थेनby Arjuna (son of Pritha)

कालेनby Time

इवas if, like

युगक्षयेat the end of an age (yuga)

पार्थम्Arjuna

एवindeed, only

अभ्यवर्तन्तthey rushed towards / advanced upon

मरणेin death, regarding death

कृतनिश्चयाःhaving made a resolve; determined

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pārtha (Arjuna)

Kāla (Time/Death)

Yuga-kṣaya (end of the age)

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 highlights the Mahābhārata’s recurring vision of Kāla (Time) as an irresistible force and portrays a stark kṣatriya ideal: even when defeat is certain, some choose to face the decisive source of danger directly, accepting death rather than retreat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes warriors being cut down by Arjuna with overwhelming force; yet, instead of withdrawing, they press forward against Arjuna himself, seemingly determined to die in direct confrontation.