Shloka 44

Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host

Devanagari script

उपारमन्त ज्याशब्दा: प्रेक्षका रथिनो5भवन्‌ | न हि स्वेषां परेषां वा विशेष: प्रत्यदृश्यत

Transliteration

upāramanta jyāśabdāḥ prekṣakā rathino 'bhavan | na hi sveṣāṃ pareṣāṃ vā viśeṣaḥ pratyadṛśyata ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：弓弦的震响止息了，战车武士竟成了旁观者。那一刻，无论己方还是敌方，都看不出谁在武勇上更胜一筹；战局仿佛在紧绷的均势中暂时停住。

Word by Word

• उपारमन्: ceased, stopped
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-रम् (धातु: रम्)
• Form: Luṅ (Aorist), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• ज्याशब्दाः: sounds of bowstrings
• ज्याशब्दाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्याशब्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रेक्षकाः: spectators, onlookers
• प्रेक्षकाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेक्षक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथिनः: chariot-warriors
• रथिनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अभवन्: became, were
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु: भू)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• स्वेषाम्: of their own (side)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• परेषाम्: of the others, of the enemy side
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• विशेषः: difference, distinction
• विशेषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यदृश्यत: was seen, appeared
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-दृश् (धातु: दृश्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Ātmanepada, Karmani/Passive sense

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• bowstring (jyā)
• chariot-warriors (rathin)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, outcomes and reputations can hinge on fleeting moments: when action halts, the usual measures of superiority collapse, reminding the listener that pride in ‘ours’ versus ‘theirs’ is unstable and that valor is not always immediately legible.

What is happening in the narrative?

A sudden lull occurs: the bowstrings’ twang stops, and the chariot-fighters pause to watch rather than strike. In that pause, observers cannot tell which side’s warriors are superior in prowess—both appear evenly matched.