Shloka 42

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५४: दुर्योधनस्य धृतराष्ट्रं प्रति बलप्रशंसन-युक्तः आश्वासनवादः

Duryodhana’s Reassurance and Force-Praise to Dhritarashtra

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ मया हते क्षिप्रमर्जुनं बहवो रथा: । तुल्यरूपा विशिष्ट श्ष क्षेप्स्पन्ति भरतर्षभ

Transliteration

tasmin mayā hate kṣipram arjunaṃ bahavo rathāḥ | tulyarūpā viśiṣṭāś ca kṣepsyanti bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

杜尤陀那说道：“待我将他斩杀之后，我方许多战车勇士——武艺与阿周那相当，甚至更胜一筹——必将迅疾如风，向阿周那倾泻箭雨，噢，婆罗多族中的雄牛！”

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/time)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: —, Instrumental, Singular

• हते: when (he) is slain / upon being slain
• हते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb-derived adjective (past passive participle)
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• क्षिप्रम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप्र

• अर्जुनम्: Arjuna
• अर्जुनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper)
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथाः: chariots / chariot-warriors (by metonymy)
• रथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तुल्यरूपाः: of equal form/strength (i.e., equal to him)
• तुल्यरूपाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्यरूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विशिष्टाः: distinguished / superior
• विशिष्टाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective (past passive participle used adjectivally)
• Root: विशिष्ट
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• क्षेप्स्यन्ति: they will hurl / will cast (arrows)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप्
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• भरतर्षभ: O bull among the Bharatas
• Type: Noun (vocative epithet)
• Root: भरत + ऋषभ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

दुर्योधन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Duryodhana
• Arjuna
• Bharatas (Kuru lineage)
• chariot-warriors (rathāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how pride and overconfidence can distort ethical judgment in war: Duryodhana assumes victory and imagines overwhelming Arjuna through numbers and reputed equals, reflecting the Mahabharata’s recurring critique of hubris and miscalculated reliance on force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Duryodhana speaks assertively about the coming conflict, claiming that after he kills a key opponent, many chariot-fighters from his side—said to be equal or superior to Arjuna—will rapidly unleash volleys of arrows against Arjuna.