Shloka 1

अध्याय ८८ — घटोत्कच-दुर्योधनयुद्धवर्णनम्

Ghaṭotkaca–Duryodhana Engagement

Devanagari script

अपन क्रात बछ। अं पञ्चाशीतितमोब<् ध्याय: अर्जुनका पराक्रम

Transliteration

sa tāḍyamānas tu śarair dhanañjayaḥ | padā hato nāga iva śvasan balī | bāṇena bāṇena mahārathānāṃ ciccheda cāpāni raṇe prasahya |

Translation

桑阇耶说：大王啊！虽被敌箭所伤，强大的阿周那（财胜者）却如被脚踏碎的毒蛇一般，怒气冲天，长长地喘息。随即他在战阵中强势逼进，一箭又一箭，斩断诸位大车战士的弓弦与弓身，折其锋芒。

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• ताड्यमानः: being struck
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताड्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शानच् (present passive participle)

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

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

• धनंजयः: Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पदा: by a foot
• पदा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• हतः: struck/smitten
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• नागः: snake
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• श्वसन्: breathing (hard)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वस्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• बली: mighty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाणेन: with an arrow
• बाणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• बाणेन: with an arrow (again)
• बाणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महारथानाम्: of the great chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• चिच्छेद: cut/broke
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• चापानि: bows
• चापानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• प्रसह: forcibly/violently
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रसह

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• mahārathas (great chariot-warriors)
• arrows (śara, bāṇa)
• bows (cāpa)
• battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when wounded and provoked, true martial excellence is shown not merely by rage but by disciplined, strategic action—neutralizing the opponent’s capacity to harm (cutting bows) rather than indulging in uncontrolled slaughter. The verse highlights kṣatriya valor guided by skill and purposeful restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna being hit by enemy arrows; anger rises in him like a trampled serpent’s hiss. He responds decisively by shooting repeated arrows that sever the bows of the opposing great warriors, disarming them in the midst of battle.