Shloka 5

नारायणास्त्र-शमनं द्रौणि-प्रहारश्च

Pacification of the Nārāyaṇāstra and Drauni’s Renewed Assault

Devanagari script

रुक्मपुड्खैरजिद्ाग्रै: शरैश्छिन्नतनुच्छदौ । रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्नौ व्यभ्राजेतां महामृथे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

rukmapuṅkhair ajidāgraiḥ śaraiś chinnatanucchadau |

rudhiraughapariklinnaū vyabhrājetāṃ mahāmṛdhe |

Translation

Sañjaya thưa: “Bởi những mũi tên có lông vàng nơi cán và đầu nhọn thẳng, cứng như thép, áo giáp và lớp che thân của hai chiến sĩ đều bị xé nát. Dẫu trong đại chiến ấy họ đẫm chìm trong dòng máu tuôn, họ vẫn rực lên một thứ hào quang lạ lùng như sắc vàng—nổi bật trên chiến địa như hai cây Kalpavṛkṣa (cây như ý), hoặc như hai cây palāśa nở rộ.”

Word by Word

• रुक्मपुङ्खैः: with golden-feathered (arrows)
• रुक्मपुङ्खैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्मपुङ्ख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अजिताग्रैः: with unvanquished/sharp-pointed tips
• अजिताग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजिताग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• छिन्नतनुच्छदौ: whose body-coverings/armours were cut
• छिन्नतनुच्छदौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्नतनुच्छद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्नौ: soaked all over with streams of blood
• रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्नौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिरौघपरिक्लिन्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• व्यभ्राजेताम्: they shone forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्राज्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Dual, Atmanepada

• महामृधे: in the great battle
• महामृधे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामृध
• Form: Feminine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (śarāḥ)
• golden fletching (rukmapuṅkhāḥ)
• armour/body-coverings (tanucchadāḥ)
• blood (rudhira)
• battle (mahāmṛdha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the paradox of kṣatriya warfare: even amid grievous injury and bloodshed, warriors are portrayed as radiant and steadfast. Ethically, it underscores endurance and resolve in one’s appointed duty (dharma) while implicitly reminding the listener of the terrible human cost of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two combatants in a fierce duel. Their armour has been shredded by golden-fletched, straight-pointed arrows; though drenched in blood, they continue to shine on the battlefield, compared (in the surrounding narration) to splendid trees standing out in the war-ground.