Shloka 26

Devanagari script

एते परिघसंकाशा: पुण्यगन्धानुलेपना: । उद्धता रणशूराणां पात्यन्ते सायुधा भुजा:

Transliteration

ete parighasaṅkāśāḥ puṇyagandhānulepanāḥ | uddhatā raṇaśūrāṇāṃ pātyante sāyudhā bhujāḥ ||

Translation

这些战场英雄的臂膀——高举于厮杀之中，粗壮如铁杵，又涂抹着清净芬芳的檀香膏——正被斩断坠落，仍携带着兵刃。

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• परिघसंकाशाः: resembling iron clubs/bars
• परिघसंकाशाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिघ-संकाश
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• पुण्यगन्धानुलेपनाः: smeared with fragrant (holy) unguents
• पुण्यगन्धानुलेपनाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य-गन्ध-अनुलेपन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उद्धताः: upraised, lifted
• उद्धताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्धत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रणशूराणाम्: of the battle-heroes
• रणशूराणाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रणशूर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• पात्यन्ते: are being felled / made to fall
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Present, Atmanepada (Passive sense), Third, Plural

• सायुधाः: with weapons
• सायुधाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आयुध
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• भुजाः: arms
• भुजाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजा
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• arms (bhujāḥ)
• weapons (āyudha)
• parigha (iron club/bar)
• fragrant anointing/sandal paste (puṇyagandhānulepana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark reality and ethical gravity of war: even mighty, honored warriors—adorned and prepared according to noble custom—are reduced to severed limbs and falling weapons. Valor and outward sanctity do not negate the suffering produced by violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is describing the battlefield scene where the raised arms of brave fighters are being cut down. The imagery emphasizes their strength (like iron clubs) and their ceremonial anointing, while showing their sudden destruction amid combat.