Shloka 36

Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot

Devanagari script

व्यंसनेनाश्वसेनस्य पन्नगेन्द्रस्थ वै पुन: । पुनश्न पतिते चक्रे व्यसनार्त: पराजित:

Transliteration

vyaṁsanenāśvasenasya pannagendrāstha vai punaḥ | punaś ca patite cakre vyasanārtaḥ parājitaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Again, when Aśvasena—mounted upon the lord of serpents—was struck down, and when the discus too fell away once more, he was overcome by calamity and stood defeated.

Word by Word

• व्यसनेन: by/through misfortune, calamity
• व्यसनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• अश्वसेनस्य: of Aśvasena
• अश्वसेनस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वसेन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पन्नगेन्द्रस्थः: standing/being on the lord of serpents (i.e., on the serpent-king)
• पन्नगेन्द्रस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पन्नगेन्द्रस्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वै: indeed, surely
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• पतिते: when (it) had fallen; in the fallen (state)
• पतिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• चक्रे: in/when the discus (wheel) (was)
• चक्रे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• व्यसनार्तः: distressed by calamity
• व्यसनार्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यसनार्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पराजितः: defeated, overcome
• पराजितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराजित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvasena
• Pannagendra (serpent-king)
• Cakra (discus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of martial power: when one’s supports (mount, allies) and instruments (weapons) fail—especially repeatedly—confidence and capacity collapse. It points to the ethical realism of the epic: valor alone does not guarantee success; conditions, fortune, and prior causes (karma) also shape outcomes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Aśvasena, riding upon the serpent-king, suffers another setback; simultaneously the discus (cakra) falls again. Struck by this repeated misfortune, Aśvasena becomes distressed and is described as defeated.