Shloka 41

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

त॑ निहत्य ततः पार्थ: सुशर्माणं त्रिभि: शरै:

Transliteration

taṁ nihatya tataḥ pārthaḥ suśarmāṇaṁ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Giết hắn xong, Pārtha (Arjuna) liền bắn Suśarmā bằng ba mũi tên—một hình ảnh của sức mạnh nhanh như chớp và kỷ luật giữa cuộc chiến chính nghĩa, nơi khi bổn phận chiến trường đã khởi, tài nghệ được thi triển không chút do dự.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निहत्य: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

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

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

• सुशर्माणम्: Susharman
• सुशर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Suśarmā
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: once battle is joined under rightful command, decisive action and disciplined skill are required, not wavering—power is exercised as duty rather than personal cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, after killing an unnamed opponent (“him”), immediately turns his attention to Suśarmā and pierces him with three arrows, continuing the rapid sequence of combat in the Śalya Parva.