Shloka 48

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

ततो<स्य निशितैर्बाणै: सर्वान्‌ हत्वा पदानुगान्‌

Transliteration

tato 'sya niśitair bāṇaiḥ sarvān hatvā padānugān

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rồi với những mũi tên sắc như dao cạo, chàng giết sạch những kẻ theo sau—bọn tùy tùng và kẻ trợ lực—chặt đứt đoàn người nâng đỡ bước tiến của hắn giữa cơn loạn chiến.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अस्य: of him / his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, singular

• निशितैः: with sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• बाणैः: arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)

• पदानुगान्: foot-followers; attendants
• पदानुगान्: Karma
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: पदानुग
• Form: masculine, accusative, plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• arrows (bāṇa)
• followers/attendants (padānugāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield reality within kṣatriya-dharma: removing a warrior’s immediate followers and support can decisively weaken him. Ethically, it reflects the harsh, consequential logic of war where protection, loyalty, and proximity to power also bring grave risk.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior (referred to as 'him') uses sharp arrows to kill all the 'padānugāḥ'—those moving behind him as attendants or followers—thereby isolating him in the ongoing combat.