Shloka 14

अध्याय २६ — शल्यस्य सारथ्य-नियोजनं, कर्णस्य प्रस्थानं, उत्पातदर्शनं च

Chapter 26: Śalya appointed as charioteer; Karṇa’s departure; portents

Devanagari script

तथेतरान्‌ महाराज यतमानान्‌ महारथान्‌ । पज्चभि: पज्चभिर्बाणैरेकैकं प्रत्यवारयत्‌,महाराज! इसी प्रकार विजयके लिये प्रयत्नशील अन्य महारथियोंमेंसे प्रत्येकको पाँच- पाँच बाण मारकर रोक दिया

Transliteration

tathā itarān mahārāja yatamānān mahārathān | pañcabhiḥ pañcabhir bāṇair ekaikaṃ pratyavārayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “So too, O King, he checked the other great chariot-warriors who were striving for victory—repelling each one by striking him with five arrows.” The verse highlights controlled martial force: the aim is not indiscriminate slaughter, but tactical restraint and the turning back of opponents within the harsh ethics of battlefield duty.

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• इतरान्: other (ones)
• इतरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यतमानान्: striving, making effort
• यतमानान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महारथान्: great chariot-warriors
• महारथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• पञ्चभिः: with five (each time)
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• एकैकम्: each one (individually)
• एकैकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकैक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रत्यवारयत्: he checked, held back, repelled
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+अव+√वृ (वारय)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address 'mahārāja')
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• bāṇa (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, action is portrayed as measured and purposeful: the warrior’s skill is shown in restraining and repelling opponents efficiently, reflecting a battlefield ethic of controlled force rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighter being described counters other elite chariot-warriors who press forward for victory, stopping each one by shooting five arrows at him.