Shloka 33

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya-saṃvādaḥ; madhyāhna-saṅgrāma-pravṛttiḥ

Dhritarashtra–Sanjaya dialogue and the midday battle escalation

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीं समरे शरवृष्टिं सुदारुणाम्‌ । असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण चिच्छेद बलिनां वर:,बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ शिखण्डीने समरभूमिमें होनेवाली उस अत्यन्त भयंकर बाणवर्षाको तीखी धारवाली तलवारसे काट डाला

Transliteration

tām āpatantīṃ samare śaravṛṣṭiṃ sudāruṇām | asinā tīkṣṇadhāreṇa ciccheda balināṃ varaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Trên chiến trường, trận mưa tên dữ dội và ghê rợn đang ập xuống ấy đã bị Śikhaṇḍin—bậc mạnh nhất trong hàng dũng sĩ—dùng kiếm sắc chém đứt, cắt tan.

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आपतन्तीम्: falling/descending (upon)
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Participle
• Root: आपत् (धातु)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, Parasmaipada (active), Present (शतृ)

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शरवृष्टिम्: shower of arrows
• शरवृष्टिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवृष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• सुदारुणाम्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदारुण
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• असिना: with a sword
• असिना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• तीक्ष्णधारेण: having a sharp edge
• तीक्ष्णधारेण: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्णधार
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut (asunder)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बलिनाम्: of the mighty
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरः: the best/excellent one
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śikhaṇḍin
• śaravṛṣṭi (shower of arrows)
• asi (sword)
• samara (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim reality of dharma in wartime: prowess and presence of mind become instruments of protection and strategy amid destructive force. It implicitly contrasts martial excellence with the tragic necessity of violence in a righteous conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the battle, a terrifying barrage of arrows descends. Śikhaṇḍin, described as foremost among the strong, counters it dramatically by cutting through the incoming arrow-shower with a sharp sword.