Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ते तमभ्यर्दयन्‌ बाणैरुल्काभिरिव कुज्जरम्‌

Transliteration

te tam abhyardayan bāṇair ulkābhir iva kuñjaram

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Pinagdiinan nila siya sa ulang-ulang na bugso ng mga palaso, na wari’y hinahampas ang isang dambuhalang elepante ng nagliliyab na mga bulalakaw—larawang nagpapakita ng walang-humpay na sama-samang paglusob na likas sa malupit na batas ng digmaan, kung saan ang tapang ay sinusubok sa ilalim ng nakalalamang na puwersa.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• अभ्यर्दयन्: they pained/harassed/assailed
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्द्
• Form: imperfect (laṅ), 3rd, plural, parasmaipada

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• उल्काभिः: with firebrands/meteors
• उल्काभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उल्का
• Form: feminine, instrumental, plural

• इव: as if/like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• कुञ्जरम्: an elephant
• कुञ्जरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (bāṇa)
• meteors/firebrands (ulkā)
• elephant (kuñjara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the battlefield reality of kṣatriya-dharma: courage is measured not only in striking but in enduring concentrated attack. The simile of meteors against an elephant emphasizes both the ferocity of violence and the expectation of steadfastness under pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a moment in the battle where multiple fighters converge on a single warrior, showering him with arrows in an overwhelming barrage, likened to fiery meteors pelting a great elephant.