Shloka 11

Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi

Devanagari script

गजों और गजारोहियोंने रथियों

Transliteration

kaikeyau sātyakiṃ yuddhe śaravarṣeṇa bhāsvatā | sātyakiḥ kekayau cāpi cchādayāmāsa bhārata ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—ในศึกนั้น นักรบไกเกยะโปรยห่าลูกศรอันเจิดจ้าจนปกคลุมสาตยกี; และสาตยกี โอ ภารตะ ก็ปกคลุมนักรบเคกยะด้วยห่าลูกศรเช่นเดียวกัน

Word by Word

• कैकेयौ: the Kaikeya (king/warrior)
• कैकेयौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सात्यकिम्: Sātyaki
• सात्यकिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• शरवर्षेण: with a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• भास्वता: shining, brilliant
• भास्वता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• सात्यकिः: Sātyaki
• सात्यकिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सात्यकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केकयान्: the Kekayas
• केकयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• च्छादयामास: covered, enveloped
• Type: Verb
• Root: छाद् (धातु)
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद, आम्-प्रत्ययान्त), 3rd, Singular

• भारत: O Bhārata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kaikeya (warrior)
• Sātyaki (Yuyudhāna)
• Kekaya (warrior/people)
• Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the momentum of warfare: once combat is joined, even celebrated heroes respond to attack with counter-attack. It implicitly contrasts kṣatriya valor with the ethical cost of escalation—prowess becomes a cycle of retaliation rather than a space for restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a duel-like exchange: a Kaikeya/Kekaya warrior showers Sātyaki with brilliant arrows, and Sātyaki immediately answers by covering his opponent with missiles as well, intensifying the battlefield clash.