Shloka 29

Devanagari script

तेषामापततां केतूनश्वांश्वापानि सायकान्‌ । नाराचैरर्थचन्द्रैश्न क्षिप्रं पार्थो न्यपातयत्‌

Transliteration

teṣām āpatatāṁ ketūn aśvān āpāni sāyakān | nārācair ardhacandraiś ca kṣipraṁ pārtho nyapātayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Khi những chiến binh ấy lao tới, Arjuna—con của Pṛthā—đã dùng các mũi nārāca và tên đầu lưỡi liềm mà nhanh chóng đánh rơi cờ hiệu, ngựa, cung và tên của họ. Bằng kỹ nghệ có kỷ luật, chàng chặn đứng cuộc xông tới hỗn loạn, biến sự hung hăng vô trật tự thành thế giao tranh bị kiềm chế.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• आपतताम्: of (those) rushing/attacking
• आपतताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb (Participle)
• Root: आ + पत्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• केतून्: banners/standards
• केतून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• धनूंषि: bows
• धनूंषि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• सायकान्: arrows
• सायकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नाराचैः: with iron arrows (nārācas)
• नाराचैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अर्धचन्द्रैः: with crescent(-headed) arrows
• अर्धचन्द्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धचन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

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

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable (Adverb)
• Root: क्षिप्र

• पार्थः: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun (Proper epithet)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न्यपातयत्: caused to fall / cut down
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (causative: पातय्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha, son of Kuntī/Pṛthā)
• Kaurava warriors (unnamed)
• banners/standards (ketu)
• horses (aśva)
• bows (āpa)
• arrows (sāyaka, nārāca, ardhacandra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, effectiveness is linked to discipline and discernment: Arjuna neutralizes the attackers by targeting their means of combat (standards, horses, bows, arrows), illustrating controlled force rather than blind fury.

What is happening in the narrative?

As Kaurava fighters surge toward Arjuna, he rapidly counters with specialized arrows—nārācas and crescent-headed shafts—cutting down their banners and disabling their mobility and weaponry, thereby breaking the momentum of their charge.