Shloka 29

न तत्र दूतं न पितु: कलेवरं प्रबुद्ध आजौ समपश्यदच्युत: । स्वाप्नं यथा चाम्बरचारिणं रिपुं सौभस्थमालोक्य निहन्तुमुद्यत: ॥ २९ ॥

na tatra dūtaṁ na pituḥ kalevaraṁ prabuddha ājau samapaśyad acyutaḥ svāpnaṁ yathā cāmbara-cāriṇaṁ ripuṁ saubha-stham ālokya nihantum udyataḥ

Then, fully alert to the truth of the situation, Lord Acyuta saw on the battlefield neither the messenger nor His father’s body, as if awakened from a dream. Seeing His foe flying overhead in the Saubha craft, the Lord prepared to slay him.

nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, adverb of place (देशवाचक)
dūtammessenger
dūtam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
nanor
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle
pituḥof (his) father
pituḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular
kalevarambody
kalevaram:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkalevara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative, Singular
prabuddhaḥfully awake
prabuddhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootpra+√budh (धातु) → prabuddha (कृदन्त, क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; PPP used adjectivally: 'fully awake' (agreeing with acyutaḥ)
ājauin battle
ājau:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootāja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular; 'in battle'
samapaśyatsaw
samapaśyat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsam+√paś (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada
acyutaḥAcyuta (Krishna)
acyutaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootacyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; proper epithet of Kṛṣṇa
svāpnama dream
svāpnam:
Upamāna (उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootsvāpna (प्रातिपदik)
FormMasculine/Neuter (usage varies; here neuter sense), Accusative, Singular; object of implied comparison 'like a dream'
yathāas/just like
yathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, comparative particle (उपमा-प्रयोग)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (समुच्चय)
ambara-cāriṇamone moving in the sky
ambara-cāriṇam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootambara (प्रातिपदिक) + cārin (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'one who moves in the sky'
ripumenemy
ripum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootripu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to ambara-cāriṇam
saubha-sthamsituated in Saubha
saubha-stham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaubha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'situated in Saubha (the aerial city)' qualifying ripum
ālokyahaving seen
ālokya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā+√lok (धातु) → ālokya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्): 'having seen'
nihantumto kill
nihantum:
Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Rootni+√han (धातु) → nihantum (तुमुन्)
FormInfinitive (तुमुन्): purpose 'to kill'
udyataḥready/intent
udyataḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootud+√yam (धातु) → udyata (कृदन्त, क्त)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; PPP: 'ready/intent' (agreeing with acyutaḥ)
Ś
Śrī Kṛṣṇa (Acyuta)
V
Vasudeva
Ś
Śālva
S
Saubha

FAQs

This verse shows deception appearing “like a dream”: Kṛṣṇa awakens and finds the staged messenger and Vasudeva’s ‘body’ gone, recognizing the enemy’s illusory tactics and moving to end them.

Because Śālva’s trickery was meant to confuse and weaken Him; seeing Śālva in the Saubha craft, Kṛṣṇa refocused on protecting dharma and Dvārakā by destroying the aggressor.

Treat panic and rumors as potentially illusory, verify reality calmly, and then act decisively for what is right—like Kṛṣṇa, who doesn’t remain trapped in confusion but moves toward clear, dharmic action.