Shloka 13

Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)

Devanagari script

स नागप्रवर: श्रीमानर्जुनेन निवारित: । तस्थौ शरैविंनुन्नाड़: श्वाविच्छललितो यथा,उसके सारे अंगोंमें बाण धँसे हुए थे। अर्जुनके द्वारा रोका गया वह शोभाशाली गजराज काँटोंवाली साहीके समान खड़ा हो गया

Transliteration

sa nāgapravaraḥ śrīmān arjunena nivāritaḥ | tasthau śarair vidhyunnāḍaḥ śvāvicchalalito yathā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dit : Le plus illustre des éléphants, arrêté par Arjuna, demeura immobile ; le corps transpercé de flèches, il ressemblait à un porc-épic hérissé de piquants.

Word by Word

सःhe/that (one)

नागप्रवरःthe foremost of elephants

श्रीमान्splendid, illustrious

अर्जुनेनby Arjuna

निवारितःrestrained, checked

तस्थौstood (still)

शरैःwith arrows

विन्नुन्नाङ्गःwhose limbs were pierced and raised up (stuck) by arrows

श्वाविच्छललितःbristling like a porcupine

यथाas, like

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna

foremost elephant (nāgapravara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid conflict, power should be governed by restraint (niyama). Arjuna’s action highlights disciplined force—stopping a dangerous surge rather than indulging in uncontrolled destruction.

What is happening in the narrative?

A magnificent elephant, halted by Arjuna, stands motionless though riddled with arrows; the poet compares its arrow-studded body to a porcupine’s quills to intensify the visual and emotional impact.