Shloka 34

अर्जुनस्य गुरुधर्मविलापः तथा शैनेयकर्णयोर्युद्धारम्भः | Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki–Karṇa Duel

Devanagari script

दुःसह: पठचदशभिर्विव्याधोरसि सात्यकिम्‌ | उत्स्मयन्‌ वृष्णिशार्दटूलस्तथा बाणै: समाहतः

Transliteration

Duḥsahaḥ pañcādaśabhir vivyādhorasi Sātyakim | utsmayan Vṛṣṇiśārdūlas tathā bāṇaiḥ samāhataḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—దుఃసహుడు సాత్యకியின் వక్షస్థలంలో పదిహేను బాణాలు గుచ్చెను; అయినా వృష్ణివంశపు వ్యాఘ్రమైన సాత్యకి చిరునవ్వుతో, బాణవర్షానికి గాయపడినప్పటికీ వెనుకడుగు వేయలేదు।

Word by Word

दुःसहःDuhsaha (proper name; 'hard-to-bear')

पञ्चदशभिःwith fifteen

विव्याधpierced

उरसिin/on the chest

सात्यकिम्Sātyaki

उत्स्मयन्smiling (up), grinning

वृष्णिशार्दूलःthe tiger among the Vṛṣṇis (Sātyaki)

तथाthus, likewise

बाणैःwith arrows

समाहतःstruck, smitten

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duḥsaha

Sātyaki

Vṛṣṇis

arrows (bāṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness: even when grievously wounded, a warrior maintains composure and resolve. Sātyaki’s smile signals inner firmness and refusal to be shaken by pain or fear amid righteous duty in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Duḥsaha shoots Sātyaki in the chest with fifteen arrows. Sātyaki—praised as a ‘tiger among the Vṛṣṇis’—remains smiling despite being struck by many arrows, emphasizing the intensity of the combat and his unbroken spirit.