Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 26
Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange
Chapter 55
Devanagari script
पतन्त्यरूपेषु यथा चक्षूंषि न कदाचन । नालक्ष्येषु शरा: पेतुस्तथा गाण्डीवधन्वन:
Transliteration
vaishampāyana uvāca | patanty arūpeṣu yathā cakṣūṃṣi na kadācana | nālakṣyeṣu śarāḥ petus tathā gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ||
Translation
రూపములేని వాటిపై కన్నులు ఎప్పుడూ నిలవనట్లే, గాండీవధారి అర్జునుని బాణాలు తన లక్ష్యముకాని వారిపై పడవు.
Word by Word
पतन्तिfall (alight)
पतन्ति:
TypeVerb
Rootपत् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन
अरूपेषुon/among formless (things)
अरूपेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
यथाas, just as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
चक्षूंषिeyes
चक्षूंषि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootचक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
कदाचनever, at any time
कदाचन:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकदाचन
नnot
न:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन
अलक्ष्येषुon/among non-targets (those not aimed at)
अलक्ष्येषु:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअलक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसक, सप्तमी, बहुवचन
शराःarrows
शराः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
पेतुःfell
पेतुः:
TypeVerb
Rootपत् (धातु)
Formलिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, बहुवचन
तथाso, likewise
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
गाण्डीवधन्वनःof the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna)
गाण्डीवधन्वनः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootगाण्डीवधन्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaA
ArjunaG
GāṇḍīvaA
arrowsE
eyesCharacter Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
True martial excellence is restrained and intentional: even in war, force should be directed only toward the chosen objective, avoiding harm to those not meant to be struck.
The narrator describes Arjuna’s extraordinary control and accuracy: his arrows do not strike unintended persons, just as eyes do not perceive what is formless or not an object of sight.