Shloka 29

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

प्रगृह्ा च शरं घोरमेक॑ सर्पविषोपमम्‌ | प्राहिणोद्‌ भीमसेनाय वधाकाड्भक्षी जनेश्वर:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pragṛhya ca śaraṃ ghoraṃ ekaṃ sarpaviṣopamam | prāhiṇod bhīmasenāya vadhākāṅkṣī janeśvaraḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seized by anger, the lord of men—the king of Kaliṅga—grasped a single dreadful arrow, venomous as a serpent, and shot it at Bhīmasena, intent on his death.

Word by Word

• प्रगृह्य: having taken/after taking
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (√ग्रह्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शरम्: arrow
• शरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: one/single
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्पविषोपमम्: like serpent-venom
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्पविषोपम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राहिणोत्: sent/shot (forth)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (√हि)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भीमसेनाय: to/against Bhimasena
• भीमसेनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वधाकाङ्क्षी: desiring (his) killing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वधाकाङ्क्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनेश्वरः: the lord of men (king)
• जनेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kaliṅgarāja (King of Kaliṅga)
• śara (arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can dominate intention, making one act with a singular aim to destroy. Even within the battlefield context, it warns that personal wrath and the desire to kill can eclipse discernment and dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the king of Kaliṅga, enraged, taking up a terrifying, snake-venom-like arrow and shooting it at Bhīmasena with the explicit intention of killing him.