Shloka 2

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 29 — Arjuna’s defeat of Vṛṣaka–Acalā and the neutralization of Śakuni’s māyā

Devanagari script

संजय उवाच प्राग्ज्योतिषेण संसक्तावुभौ दाशार्हपाण्डवौ । मृत्युदंष्टान्तिकं प्राप्ती सर्वभूतानि मेनिरे,संजयने कहा--राजन्‌! भगदत्तसे युद्धमें उलझे हुए श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन दोनोंको समस्त प्राणियोंने मौतकी दाढ़ोंमें पहुँचा हुआ ही माना

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

prāgjyotiṣeṇa saṁsaktāv ubhau dāśārha-pāṇḍavau |

mṛtyu-daṁṣṭāntikaṁ prāptī sarva-bhūtāni menire ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O King, as both the Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa) and the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) became locked in combat with the lord of Prāgjyotiṣa (Bhagadatta), all beings thought that the two had come within the very fangs of Death.

Word by Word

संजयःSanjaya

उवाचsaid

प्राग्ज्योतिषेणby (the king of) Pragjyotisha (Bhagadatta)

संसक्तौengaged/entangled (in battle)

उभौboth

दाशार्हपाण्डवौthe Dasharha (Krishna) and the Pandava (Arjuna)

मृत्युदंष्टान्तिकम्the vicinity of death’s fangs (death’s jaws)

प्राप्तीhaving reached (them), reached (that state)

सर्वभूतानिall beings/creatures

मेनिरेthought/considered

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bhagadatta

Prāgjyotiṣa

Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna

Death (Mṛtyu)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the uncertainty and moral gravity of war: even divinely guided heroes can appear to stand at Death’s threshold, reminding the listener that dharma in battle is tested amid real danger and fear.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are closely engaged with Bhagadatta of Prāgjyotiṣa, and the onlookers believe the two have come dangerously close to death.