Shloka 506

Devanagari script

अग्निकल्पैर्दरा धर्ष: प्रदीप्तिरिव पावकै: । 'प्रजलित अग्निके समान तेजस्वी, दुर्धर्ष एवं इन्द्रके समान पराक्रमी शकोंके साथ भी आज मैं भिड़ जाऊँगा

Transliteration

agnikalpair darā dharṣaḥ pradīptir iva pāvakaiḥ | prajvalita-agni-ke samāna tejasvī, durdharṣa evaṃ indra-ke samāna parākramī śakaiḥ sārdham api adya ahaṃ bhiḍāu̐gā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “He is like blazing fire—radiant with a flame-like brilliance, hard to assail. Even against the Śakas, fierce and Indra-like in prowess, today I would still join battle.”

Word by Word

• अग्नि-कल्पैः: with fire-like (ones)
• अग्नि-कल्पैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निकल्प
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दुराधर्षः: hard to assail / invincible
• दुराधर्षः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुराधर्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रदीप्तिः: blaze, radiance
• प्रदीप्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदीप्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पावकैः: with fires
• पावकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Agni
• Pāvaka (Fire)
• Indra
• Śakas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage: true valor is measured not by the weakness of opponents but by unwavering resolve even against formidable, ‘Indra-like’ foes. It also uses epic simile—fire imagery—to convey moral and martial intensity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes a warrior’s overwhelming, fire-like brilliance and near-invincibility, asserting that even if matched against the fierce Śakas, he would still engage in battle that very day—emphasizing the ferocity and scale of the conflict in Droṇa Parva.