Shloka 46

Devanagari script

शरैरविशकलीकुर्वन्नमित्रानभ्यवीवृषत्‌ । स्वलंकृतानश्वसादीन्‌ पत्ती क्षाहन्‌ धनंजय:,धनंजय अपने बाणोंद्वारा सुशिक्षित घोड़ोंसे जुते हुए, रणदुर्मद रथियोंकी सवारीमें आये हुए एवं गन्धर्वनगरके समान आकारवाले सुसज्जित रथोंके टुकड़े-टुकड़े करते हुए शत्रुओंपर बाण बरसाते और सजे-सजाये घुड़सवारों एवं पैदलोंको भी मार गिराते थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śarair aviśakalīkurvann amitrān abhyavīvṛṣat | suvalaṅkṛtān aśvasādīn pattīṃś cāhan dhanañjayaḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ధనంజయుడు బాణములతో శత్రుసేనను చిదిమి చెదరగొట్టి వారిపై ఉగ్రంగా దూసుకెళ్లెను; అలంకృత అశ్వారోహులనూ పాదాతులనూ కూడ అతడు సంహరించెను।

Word by Word

शरैःwith arrows

अविशकलीकुर्वन्making into pieces, shattering

अमित्रान्enemies

अभ्यवीवृषत्rained (down), showered

स्वलंकृतान्well-adorned

अश्वसादीन्horsemen and others

पत्तीन्foot-soldiers

चand

अहन्killed, struck down

धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhananjaya (Arjuna)

enemies (amitra)

arrows (śara)

horsemen (aśvasādin)

infantry (patti)

war-chariots (implied by context of rathins and decorated vehicles)

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 grim reality of kṣatriya-duty in war: disciplined skill and resolve can become overwhelming force. Ethically, it points to the tension between martial excellence and the destructive consequences of battle undertaken as a perceived obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Arjuna on the battlefield showering arrows, shattering enemy formations and breaking apart splendid chariots, while also cutting down decorated horsemen and foot-soldiers.