Shloka 68
Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)
Devanagari script
धनंजयो रथेनाजावभ्यवर्तत वीर्यवान्
Transliteration
dhanañjayo rathenājāv abhyavartata vīryavān
Translation
Sañjaya sprach: Der mächtige Dhanañjaya (Arjuna), auf seinem Wagen, rückte in die Schlacht vor—mit Tapferkeit und Entschlossenheit drängte er im Waffengetöse voran.
Word by Word
धनंजयःDhanañjaya (Arjuna)
धनंजयः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootधनंजय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रथेनby/with a chariot
रथेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootरथ
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
अजौin battle
अजौ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootअज
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
अभ्यवर्ततadvanced/charged forward (towards)
अभ्यवर्तत:
TypeVerb
Rootवृत्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Ātmanepada
वीर्यवान्valiant, powerful
वीर्यवान्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootवीर्यवत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
स
संजय (Sañjaya)ध
धनंजय / अर्जुन (Dhanañjaya / Arjuna)र
रथ (chariot)अ
अज / रण (battlefield/war)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
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-dharma in action: steadfast courage and forward movement in a righteous duty-bound conflict, emphasizing valor (vīrya) and resolve rather than hesitation.
Sañjaya narrates to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, called Dhanañjaya, advances on his chariot into the battle, indicating an active engagement and escalation in the ongoing combat.