Shloka 20

Adhyāya 108 — Nimitta-darśana and Drona’s counsel amid Arjuna’s advance (निमित्तदर्शनं द्रोणोपदेशश्च)

Devanagari script

तेडपि प्रासै: सुनिशितै: शरै: संनतपर्वभि:

Transliteration

teḍ api prāsaiḥ suniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ sannatapārva-bhiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Họ cũng bị đâm bởi giáo mác và trúng tên—những mũi được mài sắc bén và lắp khớp ngay ngắn—khiến bạo lực của trận chiến càng thêm dữ dội, lúc các chiến binh lấy vũ khí đối vũ khí trong cuộc giao tranh không ngừng nghỉ.

Word by Word

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

• प्रासैः: with spears/javelins
• प्रासैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुनिशितैः: very sharp
• सुनिशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुनिशित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• संनतपर्वभिः: having bent/curved joints (i.e., barbed/knotted)
• संनतपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संनतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• lances (prāsa)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: disciplined skill and well-made weapons are employed without hesitation in battle, highlighting the grave ethical weight of combat even when performed as duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya continues describing the fighting: the warriors on the field are being struck and counter-struck with sharp lances and arrows, emphasizing the intensity and technical ferocity of the engagement.