Shloka 24

कर्णवधार्थं धनञ्जयस्य प्रतिज्ञा — Arjuna’s resolve for Karṇa’s defeat

Devanagari script

पादबन्धं ततश्षक्रे पाण्डव: परवीरहा । नागमस्त्रं महाराज सम्प्रकीर्य मुहुर्मुहु:,नरेश्वर! तदनन्तर शत्रुवीरोंका संहार करनेवाले पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने बारंबार नागास्त्रका प्रयोग करके उन सबके पैर बाँध लिये

Transliteration

pādabandhaṃ tataḥ śakre pāṇḍavaḥ paravīrahā | nāgam astraṃ mahārāja samprakīrya muhur muhuḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the Pāṇḍava, a slayer of enemy-heroes, bound their feet—O King—by repeatedly discharging the Nāga-weapon.

Word by Word

• पादबन्धम्: binding of the feet
• पादबन्धम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादबन्ध
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• चक्रे: did, made
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परवीरहा: slayer of enemy-heroes
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परवीरहन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नागम्: serpent (naga)
• नागम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon, missile
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• सम्प्रकीर्य: having scattered/shot forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+कॄ
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund, -ya), Active

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

• मुहुः: again and again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Mahārāja)
• Arjuna (Pāṇḍava)
• Nāgāstra (Nāga-weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, power is ideally applied with discernment: a warrior may choose restraint (immobilizing the foe) to achieve tactical aims and limit uncontrolled slaughter, aligning action with kṣatriya-duty and proportionality.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna repeatedly releases the Nāga-weapon and thereby binds the enemies’ feet, immobilizing them on the battlefield.