Shloka 26

Bhagadatta’s Astra and the Fall of the Prāgjyotiṣa King (भगदत्त-वधः / वैष्णवास्त्र-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा शरवर्ष निवार्य तत्‌ शरैर्जघ्ने महाबाहुं पार्थ कृष्णं च मारिष

Transliteration

tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājā śaravarṣaṁ nivārya tat śarair jaghne mahābāhuṁ pārthaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ ca māriṣa

Translation

তাৰ পিছত প্ৰাগ্জ্যোতিষৰ ৰজা সেই শৰবৃষ্টি নিবাৰণ কৰি, হে মাৰিষ, নিজৰ শৰদ্বাৰা মহাবাহু পাৰ্থ আৰু কৃষ্ণকো বিদ্ধ কৰিলে।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'thereupon/from that')

• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: the king of Pragjyotiṣa (Bhagadatta)
• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राग्ज्योतिष
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• शरवर्षम्: a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• निवार्य: having warded off
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√वृ (वारयति/वृणोति)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having checked/warded off'

• तत्: that (shower/that attack)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, accusative, singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• जघ्ने: struck/slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• महाबाहुम्: the mighty-armed (one)
• महाबाहुम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबाहु
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• पार्थम्: Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: Avyaya (conjunction)

• मारिष: O dear sir (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मारिष
• Form: Masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Prāgjyotiṣa
• Prāgjyotiṣa-rāja (Bhagadatta)
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Kṛṣṇa
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a battlefield ethic central to kṣatriya-dharma: one must meet aggression with disciplined defense and timely counteraction. It also underscores that even the greatest heroes are subject to the reciprocal force of war—actions invite responses, and prowess must be matched with vigilance.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the king of Prāgjyotiṣa (Bhagadatta) first wards off an incoming shower of arrows and then retaliates by striking both Arjuna (Pārtha) and Kṛṣṇa with his own arrows.