Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थामाके द्वारा अर्जुनपर आग्नेयास्त्रका प्रयोग एवं उसके द्वारा पाण्डव-सेनाका संहार अस्त्रतेजो$भिसंतप्ता नागा भूमिशयास्तथा । निःश्वसन्तः समुत्पेतुस्तेजो घोरं मुमुक्षव:,पृथ्वीपर पड़े रहनेवाले नाग भी उस अस्त्रके तेजसे संतप्त हो भयंकर आगसे छुटकारा पानेके लिये फुफकारते हुए ऊपर उछलने लगे

Transliteration

astratejo’bhisantaptā nāgā bhūmiśayās tathā | niḥśvasantaḥ samutpetus tejo ghoraṃ mumukṣavaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Selbst die Nāga-Schlangen, die auf der Erde lagen, von der flammenden Kraft jener Waffe versengt, begannen zu zischen und emporzuschnellen, begierig, der schrecklichen Glut zu entkommen.“

Word by Word

• {'astra': 'a divine/mystic weapon

• missile empowered by mantra', 'tejas': 'radiance, fiery energy, destructive brilliance', 'abhisantapta': 'scorched, intensely heated, tormented by heat', 'nāga': 'serpent

• also a class of powerful serpentine beings', 'bhūmiśaya': 'lying on the ground

• dwelling upon the earth', 'tathā': 'also, likewise', 'niḥśvasantaḥ': 'hissing

• breathing out forcefully (of serpents, ‘fuming’)', 'samutpetuḥ': 'they sprang up, leapt upward', 'ghora': 'terrible, dreadful, fearsome', 'mumukṣavaḥ': 'seeking release/escape

• eager to be freed (here: from the burning heat)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• nāgāḥ (serpents)
• astra (weapon)
• tejas (fiery energy)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of deploying overwhelming astras: their destructive heat spreads indiscriminately, harming even non-combatants and nature. It implicitly warns that power used without restraint multiplies suffering and burdens the user with adharma-like consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

As a fiery weapon’s energy rages on the battlefield, even earth-dwelling serpents are burned by its radiance. They hiss and leap up, trying to flee the terrible heat, illustrating the weapon’s pervasive and uncontrollable impact.