Shloka 21

त्रिपुरदाह-इतिहासः

Tripura-destruction exemplum and counsel to Śalya

Devanagari script

परंतु शकुनिने तुरंत ही दूसरे बाणोंद्वारा सुतसोमके बाणोंको काट डाला। वह शीघ्रतापूर्वक अस्त्र चलानेवाला

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | parantu śakunine turanta eva dvitīya-bāṇaiḥ sutasomasya bāṇān chittvā dadāra | sa śīghra-astraprayoktā vicitra-yuddha-kuśalo yuddha-sthale vijayaśriyā suśobhitaś ca āsīt | sa samara-aṅgaṇe sva-tīkṣṇa-bāṇaiḥ sutasomasya bāṇān nivārya atyantaṃ kupitaḥ san tribhir bāṇaiḥ sutasomam api vyathayām āsa ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Nhưng Śakuni lập tức dùng những mũi tên khác chém gãy các mũi tên của Sutasoma. Nhanh nhẹn trong việc vận dụng vũ khí, tinh thông muôn lối chiến trận, và rực sáng trên chiến địa bởi vận may chiến thắng, hắn dùng những mũi tên sắc của mình ngăn chặn loạt tên của Sutasoma. Rồi, bừng bừng phẫn nộ, hắn bắn ba mũi tên làm Sutasoma bị thương.

Word by Word

• परन्तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परन्तु

• शकुनिः: Shakuni
• शकुनिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुनि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तुरन्तम्: immediately
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तुरन्त

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• द्वितीयैः: with other/second (ones)
• द्वितीयैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुतसोमस्य: of Sutasoma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतसोम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बाणान्: arrows
• बाणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• काटयामास: cut off
• Type: Verb
• Root: कट्/कृन्त् (to cut)
• Form: Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-प्रयोगः, 'आमास' construction), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शीघ्रतापूर्वकम्: swiftly, with speed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्रता + पूर्वक

• अस्त्रचालकः: one who employs weapons
• अस्त्रचालकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्रचालक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विचित्रे: in strange/varied
• विचित्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• युद्धे: in battle
• युद्धे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• कुशलः: skilled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• युद्धस्थले: on the battlefield
• युद्धस्थले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्धस्थल
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विजयश्रियाः: with the glory of victory
• विजयश्रियाः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजयश्री
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• सुशोभितः: adorned, resplendent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शोभित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• असौ: that man/he
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अदस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• समराङ्गणे: in the battle-arena
• समराङ्गणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समराङ्गण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• स्वैः: with his own
• स्वैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun/Adjective
• Root: स्व
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुतसोमस्य: of Sutasoma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतसोम
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बाणानाम्: of the arrows
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• निवारणम्: warding off, checking
• निवारणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवारण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कृत्वा: having done
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• अत्यन्तम्: exceedingly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त

• कुपितः: enraged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुपित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective (Numeral)
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सुतसोमम्: Sutasoma
• सुतसोमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतसोम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• घायलम्: wounded
• घायलम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घायल (loanword; Sanskrit equivalent: घातित/व्रणित)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• चकार: made, caused
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Śakuni
• Sutasoma
• arrows (bāṇa)
• battlefield (yuddhasthala/samarāṅgaṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how technical excellence in warfare can be amplified by anger, leading to escalated harm. It implicitly contrasts martial competence with the need for restraint and clarity of mind—virtues repeatedly valued in epic ethics even amid inevitable conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śakuni quickly intercepts and cuts down Sutasoma’s incoming arrows, demonstrating speed and battlefield skill. After neutralizing the attack, Śakuni—angered—shoots three arrows that wound Sutasoma.