Shloka 44

Devanagari script

विविंशतिं च विंशत्या विरथं कृतवान्‌ प्रभु: । आजपघान भृशं चैव पज्चभिननतपर्वभि:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | viviṁśatiṁ ca viṁśatyā virathaṁ kṛtavān prabhuḥ | ājaghāna bhṛśaṁ caiva pañcabhir natanataparvabhiḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Arjuna hùng mạnh bắn Viviṁśati hai mươi mũi tên, khiến hắn thành kẻ mất chiến xa. Rồi với năm mũi tên có khớp cong (thân tên cong/đốt thắt), chàng lại giáng xuống dữ dội, làm hắn trọng thương—một cảnh cho thấy sự hiệu quả lạnh lùng của kỹ nghệ chiến trường, ngay cả khi nhắm vào kẻ đã ngã và đang yếu thế.

Word by Word

• विविंशतिम्: Vivimshati (a warrior)
• विविंशतिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विविंशति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• विंशत्या: with twenty (arrows)
• विंशत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• विरथम्: chariotless
• विरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कृतवान्: made (him)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

• प्रभुः: the mighty one / lord (Arjuna)
• प्रभुः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आजघान: struck / smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• भृशम्: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम्

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• नतपर्वभिः: having bent joints (i.e., bent-knotted arrows)
• नतपर्वभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Arjuna
• Viviṁśati
• arrows
• chariot

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim logic of kṣatriya warfare: mastery and decisiveness can determine survival, yet such prowess also raises ethical tension—when a warrior is rendered chariotless and then further wounded, the narrative invites reflection on necessity, proportionality, and the hardening effect of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Arjuna hits Viviṁśati with twenty arrows, depriving him of his chariot (viratha), and then strikes him again with five bent/knotted-jointed arrows, severely injuring him.