Shloka 5

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

Gāṇḍīva-Nirghoṣa Episode

Devanagari script

स गत्वा कुरुसेनाया: समीपं हयकोविद: । पुनरावर्तयामास तान्‌ हयान्‌ वातरंहस:

Transliteration

sa gatvā kurusenāyāḥ samīpaṃ hayakovidaḥ | punarāvartayāmāsa tān hayān vātarāṃhasaḥ ||

Translation

Đến gần quân Kuru, người đánh xe thiện nghệ—nhanh như gió—liền quay ngựa trở lại, khéo léo rút khỏi tầm cận kề của đối phương.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral here)

• कुरुसेनायाः: of the Kuru army
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरुसेना
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• समीपम्: near; to the vicinity
• समीपम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हयकोविदः: skilled in horses
• हयकोविदः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हयकोविद
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• आवर्तयामास: turned back; caused to return
• Type: Verb
• Root: आवर्तय् (आ + वृत्, णिच्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हयान्: horses
• हयान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वातरंहसः: swift as the wind
• वातरंहसः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वातरंहस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kuru army
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and speed are most effective when governed by restraint and clear judgment; tactical withdrawal can be as dharmic and necessary as direct confrontation.

What is happening in the narrative?

A skilled horseman approaches close to the Kuru forces and then turns the horses back, indicating a controlled maneuver—approach, assess, and withdraw—rather than an uncontrolled charge.