Shloka 2

Pāṇḍya-vadha-anantaram Arjunasya Pravṛttiḥ

Arjuna’s Response and the Renewed Battle

Devanagari script

संतापयन्तावन्योन्यं दीप्तै: शरगभस्तिभि: । लोकत्रासकरावास्तां विमार्गस्थौ ग्रहाविव

Transliteration

saṃtāpayantāv anyonyaṃ dīptaiḥ śaragabhastibhiḥ | lokatrāsakarāv āstāṃ vimārgasthau grahāv iva ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The two warriors scorched one another with blazing clusters of arrow-rays. Like two planets that have strayed from their proper course—whose abnormal motion becomes a cause of terror to the whole world—so did they appear, spreading dread as their weapons flared in relentless combat.

Word by Word

• संतापयन्तौ: causing torment (to)
• संतापयन्तौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: संतापयत् (√तप्, caus.)
• Form: present (vartamāna), dual, masculine, nominative

• अन्योन्यम्: each other / mutually
• अन्योन्यम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य

• दीप्तैः: with blazing
• दीप्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• शरगभस्तिभिः: with arrow-rays (rays in the form of arrows)
• शरगभस्तिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर-गभस्ति
• Form: feminine, instrumental, plural

• लोकत्रासकरौ: causing terror to the world
• लोकत्रासकरौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक-त्रास-कर
• Form: masculine, nominative, dual

• आस्ताम्: they were / they stood (as if)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस्
• Form: लोट् (imperative/benedictive usage), imperative, 3rd, dual

• विमार्गस्थौ: standing on a wrong path / off-course
• विमार्गस्थौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमार्ग-स्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, dual

• ग्रहौ: two planets
• ग्रहौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह
• Form: masculine, nominative, dual

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• two warriors (unnamed in this verse)
• arrows (śara)
• planets (graha)
• the world (loka)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unrestrained martial fury can become a source of universal dread, using the ethical warning embedded in a cosmic simile: when powerful forces deviate from their proper course (vimārga), they disturb the world’s order and safety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two opposing heroes locked in intense battle, striking each other with blazing volleys of arrows. Their mutual assault is compared to two planets moving abnormally, frightening the entire world.