Shloka 29

भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception

Devanagari script

अश्वारोहान्‌ हतैरश्वैरगहीतासीन्‌ समनन्‍्ततः । द्रवमाणानपश्याम द्राव्यमाणांश्व॒ संयुगे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

aśvārōhān hatair aśvair agahītāsīn samantataḥ |

dravamāṇān apaśyāma drāvyamāṇāṃś ca saṃyuge ||

Translation

桑阇耶说：“在那场战斗中，我看见许多骑兵坐骑已被杀；手执利剑，失却战马，便向四方奔逃，被敌军逼退并追逐。”

Word by Word

• अश्वारोहान्: horsemen
• अश्वारोहान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वारोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हतैः: by slain (ones)
• हतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन्)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अश्वैः: by horses
• अश्वैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अगहीतासीन्: having (their) swords not seized / without having taken up swords
• अगहीतासीन्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगृहीतासि (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + गृहीत + असि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

• द्रवमाणान्: fleeing, running away
• द्रवमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रवमाण (कृदन्त; √द्रु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपश्याम: we saw
• अपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• द्राव्यमाणान्: being driven/chased away
• द्राव्यमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्राव्यमाण (कृदन्त; √द्रु, णिच् causative)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• horsemen (aśvārōha)
• horses (aśva)
• sword (as implied by the Hindi gloss: talavāra/asi)
• battlefield (saṃyuga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly strength in war: when the external supports of power (like mounts, formations, allies) are destroyed, even trained warriors can fall into fear and flight. It implicitly contrasts mere force with steadiness of mind and disciplined duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he witnesses on the battlefield: many cavalrymen, their horses slain, are left dismounted with weapons in hand, scattering in all directions while enemies pursue and rout them.