Shloka 21
Devanagari script
नकुलस्तस्य नागस्य समीपपरिवर्तिन: । सविषाणं भुजं मूले खड्गेन निरकृन्तत
Transliteration
nakulastasya nāgasya samīpaparivartinaḥ | saviṣāṇaṃ bhujaṃ mūle khaḍgena nirakṛntata ||
Translation
Vaiśampāyana said: Nakula, circling close to that beast, cut off at the root with his sword the arm-like limb that bore a horn.
Word by Word
नकुलःNakula
नकुलः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनकुल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तस्यof that (snake)
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
नागस्यof the serpent
नागस्य:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
समीप-परिवर्तिनःmoving/turning near (him/it)
समीप-परिवर्तिनः:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootसमीपपरिवर्तिन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
स-विषाणम्having a horn/tusk
स-विषाणम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootसविषाण
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भुजम्arm/forelimb
भुजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभुज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मूलेat the root/base
मूले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमूल
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
खड्गेनwith a sword
खड्गेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootखड्ग
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
निरकृन्तत्cut off
निरकृन्तत्:
TypeVerb
Rootनि-√कृत् (कृन्तति)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular
Speaker
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Characters & Entities
V
VaiśampāyanaN
NakulaN
Nāga (serpent)K
khaḍga (sword)V
viṣāṇa (horn)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
The verse highlights disciplined bravery: when confronted with immediate threat, one should act decisively and skillfully, minimizing harm by targeting the source of danger rather than lashing out blindly.
As the serpent moves nearby, Nakula maneuvers close and severs at the base, with his sword, a horn-bearing arm-like limb of the serpent—an action within a tense encounter involving the Pāṇḍavas and a nāga.