Shloka 48

भीष्मस्य अप्रतिमपराक्रमः — शिखण्डिपुरस्कृतः प्रहारः

Bhīṣma’s unmatched momentum and the assault with Śikhaṇḍin in the lead

Devanagari script

शरै: सुनिशितै: पार्थ यथा वृत्र पुरंदर: । निर्बिभेद महाकायो विव्यथे नैव चार्जुन:

Transliteration

śaraiḥ suniśitaiḥ pārtha yathā vṛtra-puraṃdaraḥ | nirbibheda mahākāyo vivyathe naiva cārjunaḥ ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：“那强悍的战士以剃刀般锋利的箭矢刺穿阿周那，正如诛灭弗栗陀罗的因陀罗遏止并压服弗栗陀罗。纵然被那些箭矢贯穿割裂，阿周那也毫不动摇、全无苦恼，显出在战火暴烈之中的坚忍。”

Word by Word

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

• सुनिशितैः: very sharp
• सुनिशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुनिशित
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पार्थ: O son of Pritha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• वृत्रम्: Vritra
• वृत्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरंदरः: Purandara (Indra)
• पुरंदरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरंदर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्बिभेद: pierced, rent
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-भिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• महाकायः: the huge-bodied one
• महाकायः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाकाय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विव्यथे: was distressed, trembled
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-व्यथ्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• एव: indeed, at all
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

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

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Pārtha (epithet of Arjuna)
• Indra (Purandara)
• Vṛtra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights heroic steadiness: even when physically wounded, a disciplined warrior does not lose composure. Ethically, it underscores kṣatriya fortitude—enduring hardship without surrendering to fear or agitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna being struck by extremely sharp arrows, compared to Indra overpowering Vṛtra. Despite being pierced, Arjuna remains unshaken and shows no visible distress.