Shloka 41

शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni

with Ulūka’s fall

Devanagari script

त॑ निहत्य ततः पार्थ: सुशर्माणं त्रिभि: शरै:

Transliteration

taṁ nihatya tataḥ pārthaḥ suśarmāṇaṁ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ

Translation

三阇耶说道：既已将其斩杀，帕尔塔（阿周那）随即以三支箭射向苏舍尔摩——这是正义之战的战阵之中，迅疾而自持之力的写照；一旦战场之责已然承担，武艺便毫不迟疑地施展。

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• निहत्य: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुशर्माणम्: Susharman
• सुशर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुशर्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Suśarmā
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: once battle is joined under rightful command, decisive action and disciplined skill are required, not wavering—power is exercised as duty rather than personal cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, after killing an unnamed opponent (“him”), immediately turns his attention to Suśarmā and pierces him with three arrows, continuing the rapid sequence of combat in the Śalya Parva.