Shloka 79

Śalya–Bhīma Gadāyuddham (मद्रराज-भीमसेन गदायुद्धम्)

Devanagari script

तामवप्लुत्य जग्राह विकोशं चाकरोदसिम्‌ | वैनतेयो यथा कार्ष्णि: पतन्तमुरगोत्तमम्‌,जैसे गरुड़ उड़ते हुए श्रेष्ठ नागको पकड़ लेते हैं, उसी प्रकार अभिमन्युने उछलकर उस शक्तिको पकड़ लिया और म्यानसे तलवार खींच ली

Transliteration

tām avaplutya jagrāha vikośaṃ cākaro(d) asim | vainateyo yathā kārṣṇiḥ patantam uragottamam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Leaping up, he seized that weapon and at once drew his sword from its scabbard. Just as Vainateya (Garuḍa) catches the foremost of serpents in flight, so did Abhimanyu snatch the onrushing śakti—showing fearless presence of mind amid the chaos of war and refusing to yield to a deadly assault.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (fem.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अवप्लुत्य: having leapt upon/down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√प्लु (प्लु गतौ/प्लवन)
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त-अव्यय), कर्तरि, पूर्वकाल (absolutive)

• जग्राह: seized
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह्
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विकोशम्: unsheathed/drawn (out of the sheath)
• विकोशम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• अकरोत्: made/did
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथम, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• असिम्: sword
• असिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वैनतेयः: Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• वैनतेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• कार्ष्णिः: Kārṣṇi (descendant of Kṛṣṇa; here: Abhimanyu)
• कार्ष्णिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्ष्णि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पतन्तम्: falling/flying down
• पतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतत् (√पत्) (वर्तमान-कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उरगोत्तमम्: the best of serpents
• उरगोत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Abhimanyu
• Śakti (weapon/spear)
• Asi (sword)
• Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• Uraga (serpent/nāga)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights courageous composure and swift discernment in crisis: a warrior grounded in duty does not panic before lethal danger but responds with alertness, restraint, and skill—turning a threat into an opportunity to protect dharma and honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the thick of battle, a deadly śakti is hurled. Abhimanyu springs up, catches hold of it mid-flight, and immediately draws his sword—his feat compared to Garuḍa seizing a great serpent in the air.