Shloka 11

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection

Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa

Devanagari script

तं शात्रवाणां गणबाधितारं कर्माणि कुर्वन्तममानुषाणि । शतन्रुंतपः पार्थममृष्यमाण: समार्दयच्छरवर्षेण पार्थम्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

taṃ śātravāṇāṃ gaṇa-bādhitāraṃ karmāṇi kurvantaṃ amānuṣāṇi |

śatruṃtapaḥ pārtham amṛṣyamāṇaḥ samārdhayac chara-varṣeṇa pārtham ||

Translation

Wika ni Vaiśampāyana: Nang makita ni Śatruṃtapa si Pārtha (Arjuna)—ang dumudurog sa hanay ng kaaway—na gumagawa ng mga gawang wari’y lampas-tao, hindi niya ito natiis. Hindi niya mabata ang lakas ni Arjuna kaya’t piniga niya ito, pinahirapan si Pārtha sa pamamagitan ng siksik na ulang-palaso.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शात्रवाणाम्: of the enemies
• शात्रवाणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: शात्रव (शत्रु-सम्बन्धिन्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• गण-बाधितारम्: the afflicter/harasser of troops
• गण-बाधितारम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (agent)
• Root: गणबाधितृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कर्माणि: deeds
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• कुर्वन्तम्: doing
• कुर्वन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (कुर्वत्)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• अमानुषाणि: superhuman, not human
• अमानुषाणि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमानुष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शतन्रुंतपः: Śatruntapa (enemy-scorcher)
• शतन्रुंतपः: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper epithet)
• Root: शत्रुंतप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अमृष्यमाणः: not enduring, unable to bear
• अमृष्यमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृष् (अमृष्यमाण)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शानच् (present middle participle) with negation अ-

• समार्दयत्: he pained/afflicted
• समार्दयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-र्द्/अर्द्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शर-वर्षेण: with a shower of arrows
• शर-वर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Śatruṃtapa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya world of tested courage and endurance: extraordinary prowess provokes challenge, and a warrior’s response is to meet strength with strength. Ethically, it frames combat as a contest of valor and resolve rather than mere hatred—though envy and intolerance (amṛṣyamāṇaḥ) can also drive escalation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is displaying overwhelming, almost superhuman battlefield skill against enemy troops. Seeing this, the warrior Śatruṃtapa cannot tolerate Arjuna’s dominance and advances to confront him directly, attacking by pouring a heavy rain of arrows to harry and wound him.