Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ततो हताश्वादवरुह् याना- दादाय चर्मामलरुक्मचन्द्रम्‌ । आकाशसंकाशमसिं प्रगृहम दोधूयमान: खगवच्चचार

Transliteration

tato hatāśvād avaruhya yānād ādāya carmāmalarukmacandram | ākāśasaṅkāśam asiṁ pragṛhya dodhūyamānaḥ khagavac cacāra ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, when his horses had been slain, he dismounted from the chariot. Taking up a spotless shield marked with a golden, moon-like emblem, and grasping a sword bright as the sky, he whirled it as he moved—ranging about like a bird.

Word by Word

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

• हताश्वात्: from the horse-less (chariot)
• हताश्वात्: Apadana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हताश्व
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अवरुह्य: having descended
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√रुह्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• आनात्: from the vehicle/chariot
• आनात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यान
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• आदाय: having taken
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√दा
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• चर्म: shield (leather)
• चर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अमल: spotless, pure
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• रुक्मचन्द्रम्: golden moon(-emblem)
• रुक्मचन्द्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुक्मचन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आकाशसंकाशम्: sky-like, resembling the sky
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाशसंकाश
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• असिम्: sword
• असिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रगृह्य: having grasped
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√ग्रह्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• दोधूयमानः: whirling/shaking repeatedly
• दोधूयमानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दोधूयमान
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Present participle (Ātmanepada), intensive/reduplicated

• खगवत्: like a bird
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खगवत्

• चचार: moved about, roamed
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula
• chariot (yāna/ratha)
• horses
• shield (carma) with golden moon emblem
• sword (asi)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfastness in kṣatriya-dharma: even after losing the chariot’s support (horses), a warrior should keep composure, adapt, and continue to act with courage and competence rather than collapse into fear or helplessness.

What is happening in the narrative?

After his horses are killed, Nakula dismounts, takes up a clean shield with a golden moon emblem and a sky-bright sword, and moves about brandishing the blade—described poetically as roaming like a bird.