Shloka 20

दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra

Devanagari script

प्रतिविन्ध्यस्ततश्रित्रं भित्ता पठचभिराशुगै: । सारथिं च त्रिभिरविंद्ध्वा ध्वजमेकेषुणापि च

Transliteration

prativindhyas tataḥ śitraṃ bhittvā pañcabhir āśugaiḥ | sārathiṃ ca tribhir avindhyā dhvajam ekeṣuṇāpi ca ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bấy giờ Prativindhya dùng năm mũi tên nhanh như gió xuyên thủng áo giáp của đối thủ; rồi lại bắn thêm ba mũi làm bị thương người đánh xe. Và chỉ bằng một mũi tên, chàng còn ghim trúng cả lá cờ trên chiến xa—một màn phô bày sự chuẩn xác giữa đạo lý khắc nghiệt của chiến địa, nơi dũng lực được đo bằng sức mạnh biết tự chế, chứ không phải bởi cơn cuồng nộ.

Word by Word

• प्रतिविन्ध्यः: Prativindhya (name)
• प्रतिविन्ध्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिविन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/split
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (numeral, indeclinable-like but declines here), Instrumental, Plural

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

• भिः: with (rays/splendours) / (uncertain reading)
• भिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• आशुगैः: swift (arrows)
• आशुगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सारथिम्: charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (numeral), Instrumental, Plural

• अविन्ध्य: having struck/pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: विध् (धातु) with preverb अव-
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-सम (absolutive; irregular/epic form), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकेषुणा: with a single arrow
• एकेषुणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक-इषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

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

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• प्रतिविन्ध्य (Prativindhya)
• सारथि (charioteer)
• ध्वज (banner/standard)
• आशुग (swift arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined martial excellence: even in war, a warrior’s power is shown through precision and control—piercing armor, targeting the charioteer, and striking the banner—rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Prativindhya shoots a sequence of arrows: five to pierce the opponent’s armor, three to wound the charioteer, and one to strike the chariot’s banner, signaling dominance in the ongoing battle.