Shloka 9

Devanagari script

तस्मिंस्तु युद्धे तुमुले प्रवृत्ते पार्थ विकर्णोडतिरथं रथेन । विपाठवर्षेण कुरुप्रवीरो भीमेन भीमानुजमाससाद,इस प्रकार घोर युद्ध छिड़ जानेपर कुरुकुलके श्रेष्ठ वीर विकर्णने रथपर सवार हो विपाठ नामक बाणोंकी भयंकर वर्षा करते हुए भीमके छोटे भाई अतिरथी वीर अर्जुनपर आक्रमण किया

Transliteration

tasmiṁstu yuddhe tumule pravṛtte pārtha vikarṇo ’tirathaṁ rathena | vipāṭhavārṣeṇa kurupravīro bhīmena bhīmānujam āsasāda ||

Translation

当那喧腾激烈的战斗一经展开，维迦尔那——俱卢族中最杰出的勇士——登上战车，倾泻如暴雨般凶猛的“毗帕陀”箭矢，向毗摩之弟、伟大的车战勇士（阿提罗陀）阿周那猛然冲击而来。

Word by Word

तस्मिन्in that

तुbut/indeed

युद्धेin the battle

तुमुलेtumultuous/fierce

प्रवृत्तेhaving begun/being underway

पार्थO son of Pritha

विकर्णःVikarna

उतिरथम्the great chariot-warrior (Atiratha)

रथेनby/with a chariot

विपाठवर्षेणby a shower of vipāṭha (arrows)

कुरुप्रवीरःthe foremost hero among the Kurus

भीमेनby Bhima

भीमानुजम्Bhima's younger brother (Arjuna)

आससादattacked/approached

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Vikarna

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Bhīma

ratha (chariot)

vipāṭha arrows

Kuru lineage

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds kṣatriya conduct in war: once battle is joined, warriors display resolve, skill, and courage. Ethically, it reflects how duty and allegiance can intensify conflict even among famed heroes, emphasizing disciplined action within the harsh framework of battlefield dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the fierce battle begins, Vikarna, a leading Kuru fighter, rides forth on his chariot and showers Arjuna with a heavy volley of vipāṭha arrows, directly engaging him in combat.