Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तेषामेवं विमूढानामन्योन्यमभिधावताम्‌ शिरांसि विशियेर्दीप्तैन्यहनं शतसड्घश:

Transliteration

teṣām evaṁ vimūḍhānām anyonyam abhidhāvatām śirāṁsi viśiṣyair dīptair nyahanam śataśaḥ saṅghaśaḥ

Translation

เมื่อพวกเขาหลงมัวเมาเช่นนั้นและพุ่งเข้าหากันเอง ข้าก็ใช้ศรอันโชติช่วงตัดศีรษะของพวกเขาลงครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า เป็นร้อย ๆ เป็นหมู่ ๆ

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्

• विमूढानाम्: of the deluded/confused (ones)
• विमूढानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमूढ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अन्योन्यम्: one another, mutually
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• अभिधावताम्: of (those) running towards/charging at
• अभिधावताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धाव्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• शिरांसि: heads
• शिरांसि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• विशियेः: you cut off / you severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 2, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दीप्तैः: with blazing (weapons)
• दीप्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• न्यहनम्: I struck down / I slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 1, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शतसङ्घशः: in hundreds of groups; by hundreds
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शत + सङ्घ + शस्

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how delusion (moha) leads to chaotic, self-destructive action, while a disciplined warrior acts decisively within the harsh demands of kṣatriya duty; it implicitly contrasts confusion with focused agency and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna narrates a combat scene: opponents, bewildered and colliding in mutual aggression, rush about, and he cuts them down in large numbers with shining, powerful weapons.