Shloka 34

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

नकुलश्चापि सप्तैव शतानि प्राहिणोच्छरै: । शतानि त्रीणि शूराणां सहदेव: प्रतापवान्‌

Transliteration

nakulaś cāpi saptaiva śatāni prāhiṇoc charaiḥ | śatāni trīṇi śūrāṇāṃ sahadevaḥ pratāpavān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Nakula cũng dùng tên bắn hạ bảy trăm chiến binh; còn Sahadeva dũng mãnh đánh ngã ba trăm kẻ anh hùng. Lời kể làm nổi bật sức mạnh có kỷ luật của các anh em nhà Pāṇḍava trên chiến địa—uy lực được hướng theo mục đích, giữa những đòi hỏi của bổn phận kṣatriya.

Word by Word

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• सप्त: seven
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural (in agreement with शतानि)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• प्राहिणोत्: sent/dispatched
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (धातु: हि/हिणोति, प्रेरणे/प्रेषणे)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular

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

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• त्रीणि: three
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शूराणाम्: of warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty/valiant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma expressed as controlled martial competence: the warriors’ strength is portrayed as effective, disciplined action in a righteous conflict context, emphasizing valor and responsibility rather than mere violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the course of the battle account, the narrator reports the battlefield success of the Pāṇḍava brothers: Nakula fells or routs seven hundred with arrows, and the mighty Sahadeva fells three hundred heroic fighters.