Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ततो गजशिर:प्रख्यैरुपलै: शैलवासिन: । उद्यतैर्युयुधानस्य पुरतस्तस्थुराहवे

Transliteration

tato gajaśiraḥprakhyair upalaiḥ śailavāsinaḥ | udyatair yuyudhānasya puratas tasthur āhave ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：随后，那些居于山岭的战士高举形如象首的巨石，在战场上径直立于尤尤陀那之前，整装待战。

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya

• गजशिरःप्रख्यैः: with (stones) resembling an elephant’s head
• गजशिरःप्रख्यैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गजशिरःप्रख्य
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• उपलैः: with stones, rocks
• उपलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शैलवासिनः: mountain-dwellers
• शैलवासिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलवासिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उद्यतैः: raised, uplifted (in hand)
• उद्यतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• युयुधानस्य: of Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• युयुधानस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युयुधान
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पुरतः: in front (of)
• पुरतः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः
• Form: Avyaya

• तस्थुः: stood
• तस्थुः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• आहवे: in battle
• आहवे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहव
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki)
• śailavāsinaḥ (mountain-dwelling warriors)
• upala (stones/boulders)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the brutal pragmatism of war: when formal weapons are insufficient, fighters weaponize whatever is available. Ethically, it points to how conflict escalates into raw force, testing restraint and dharma amid survival-driven violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mountain-dwelling fighters step forward against Yuyudhāna (Sātyaki), holding up huge boulders like elephant heads, positioning themselves directly before him to engage in combat.