Shloka 48

Adhyāya 104 — Śikhaṇḍin-puraskāraḥ (Śikhaṇḍin as Vanguard) and Bhīṣma’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

प्रतिलभ्य तत:ः संज्ञां द्रोणपुत्र: प्रतापवान्‌ । वा्ष्णेयं समरे क्रुद्धो नाराचेन समार्पयत्‌

Transliteration

pratilabhya tataḥ saṃjñāṃ droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān | vārṣṇeyaṃ samare kruddho nārācena samārpayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Regaining consciousness, the valiant son of Droṇa, inflamed with anger in the midst of battle, struck Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa) with a nārāca arrow. The moment underscores how wrath, once it seizes a warrior’s mind, can drive him to target even the charioteer-counselor, deepening the moral peril of war as passion overrules discernment.

Word by Word

• प्रतिलभ्य: having regained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिलभ् (लभ्)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः), कर्तरि, having regained/obtained

• ततः: then/thereupon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness, awareness
• संज्ञाम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रोणपुत्रः: Drona's son (Aśvatthāman)
• द्रोणपुत्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतापवान्: mighty, valorous
• प्रतापवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतापवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृष्णेयम्: the Vṛṣṇi-descendant (Kṛṣṇa)
• वृष्णेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्णेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• समरे: in battle
• समरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: समर
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• क्रुद्धः: angry
• क्रुद्धः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रुद्ध (√क्रुध्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नाराचेन: with an iron arrow
• नाराचेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• समार्पयत्: he struck/aimed (delivered)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√अर्प्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, Third, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• द्रोणपुत्र (Aśvatthāman)
• वाष्णेय/वार्ष्णेय (Kṛṣṇa)
• नाराच (nārāca arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can eclipse judgment in war, pushing a warrior to reckless escalation—here, even directing force toward Kṛṣṇa as charioteer-counselor—thereby deepening the ethical danger of letting passion govern action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāman, after regaining consciousness, becomes enraged and in the thick of combat shoots a nārāca arrow at Vārṣṇeya (Kṛṣṇa).