Shloka 37

Arjuna’s Concentrated Archery and the Rout of the Kaurava Mahārathas

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

त्रिभिस्त्रिवेणुं समरे द्वाभ्यामक्षं महारथ: । द्वादशेन तु भल्लेन चकर्तास्य ध्वजं तदा

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | tribhis triveṇuṃ samare dvābhyām akṣaṃ mahārathaḥ | dvādaśena tu bhallena cakartāsya dhvajaṃ tadā |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana nói: Giữa trận tiền, đại xa chiến binh Arjuna dùng ba mũi tên chém đứt ba càng của chiến xa đối phương, dùng hai mũi cắt trục xe, rồi bằng mũi thứ mười hai—mũi bhalla đầu rộng—chàng chặt đổ lá cờ trên xe ấy.

Word by Word

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

• त्रिवेणुम्: the three veṇus (parts/poles) (of the chariot)
• त्रिवेणुम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिवेणु
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• द्वाभ्याम्: with two (arrows)
• द्वाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• अक्षम्: axle
• अक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महारथः: the great chariot-warrior (Arjuna)
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वादशेन: with the twelfth (arrow)
• द्वादशेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• तु: but/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• भल्लेन: with a bhalla-arrow
• भल्लेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• चकर्त: cut (he cut)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• अस्य: of him/of his
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then/at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• mahārathaḥ (Arjuna, implied by context)
• triveṇu (three chariot-poles/shafts)
• akṣa (chariot axle)
• bhalla (broad-headed arrow)
• dhvaja (banner/standard)
• samara (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined power in righteous warfare: true martial excellence lies in precision and control—disabling the opponent’s means of fighting and humbling their martial pride (the banner) rather than indulging in uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

During combat, Arjuna (described as a mahāratha) shoots a sequence of arrows that neatly cuts key parts of the opponent’s chariot—three structural poles, then the axle, and finally the banner—thereby crippling the chariot and asserting dominance on the battlefield.