Shloka 28

Devanagari script

सहदेवं तथा यान्तं कृप: शारद्वतो5भ्ययात्‌ । यथा नागो वने नागं मत्तो मत्तमुपाद्रवत्‌

Transliteration

sahadevaṃ tathā yāntaṃ kṛpaḥ śāradvatobhyayāt | yathā nāgo vane nāgaṃ matto mattam upādravat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: As Sahadeva advanced, Kṛpa Śāradvata moved to confront him—just as, in the forest, a rut-maddened elephant charges another maddened elephant.

Word by Word

• सहदेवम्: Sahadeva
• सहदेवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• यान्तम्: going, proceeding
• यान्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• कृपः: Kripa
• कृपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शारद्वतः: son of Śaradvat (patronymic)
• शारद्वतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्ययात्: approached, came up to
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, अभि

• यथा: as, just as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा

• नागः: an elephant
• नागः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• नागम्: an elephant
• नागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मत्तः: maddened, in rut
• मत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मत्तम्: maddened, in rut
• मत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उपाद्रवत्: ran up to, charged at
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्रु (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, उप

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Sahadeva
• Kṛpa (Śāradvata/Kṛpācārya)
• forest (vana)
• elephant (nāga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war amplifies powerful impulses—fury, pride, and momentum—likening warriors to musth-elephants. Ethically, it cautions that even capable and learned fighters can be swept into violent confrontation, so dharma in battle requires vigilance and restraint amid overwhelming passion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva is advancing on the battlefield, and Kṛpa Śāradvata moves to meet and attack him. Their impending clash is compared to two maddened elephants charging each other in a forest, signaling a fierce, evenly matched engagement.