Shloka 42

Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)

Devanagari script

ततः प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा परिगृहर महागजम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ prāgjyotiṣo rājā parigṛhṇan mahāgajam

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors le roi de Prāgjyotiṣa saisit le grand éléphant—geste d’audacieuse résolution au plus près du combat, au milieu du tumulte, montrant la volonté du guerrier d’affronter le danger de face plutôt que de reculer.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/then')

• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: the king of Pragjyotiṣa (Prāgjyotiṣa)
• प्राग्ज्योतिषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राग्ज्योतिष
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• परिगृहर: seized; took hold of
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-ग्रह्
• Form: Aorist (luṅ), 3rd person, singular, Parasmaipada

• महागजम्: the great elephant
• महागजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महागज
• Form: Masculine, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Prāgjyotiṣa (kingdom/region)
• the king of Prāgjyotiṣa (Bhagadatta)
• a great elephant (war-elephant)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya resolve in warfare: when danger intensifies, a warrior-leader meets it directly with steadiness and courage, embodying duty-driven action rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the king of Prāgjyotiṣa (Bhagadatta) physically takes hold of a mighty war-elephant, indicating a decisive, forceful move in the midst of the battle scene.