Shloka 643

Devanagari script

हतो रथाग्रादपतत्‌ स रुग्ण: परश्वधै: शाल इवावकृत्त: | वह राजकुमार मस्तक

Transliteration

hato rathāgrād apatat sa rugṇaḥ paraśvadhaiḥ śāla ivāvakṛttaḥ |

Translation

સંજય બોલ્યો— તે રાજકુમાર મસ્તક, ભુજા, ઘોડા, સારથી, ધનુષ અને ધ્વજ વિહોણો થઈ મર્યો અને રથના અગ્રભાગ પરથી નીચે પડી ગયો; જાણે ફરશાઓથી કાપેલો શાલવૃક્ષ તૂટી ધરાશાયી થયો હોય તેમ.

Word by Word

• हतः: slain
• हतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रथाग्रात्: from the front of the chariot
• रथाग्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + अग्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• अपतत्: fell down
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• रुग्णः: broken, shattered
• रुग्णः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुग्ण (विशेषण)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परश्वधैः: with axes
• परश्वधैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: परश्वध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शालः: a śāla tree
• शालः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: as if, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अवकृत्तः: cut down
• अवकृत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + कृद्/कृत् (धातु) → अवकृत्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• axes (paraśvadha)
• śāla tree (śāla-vṛkṣa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly power and martial glory: even a prince-like warrior, supported by chariot, weapons, and emblems, can be felled instantly. The ethical undertone is a sober reminder of karma and the fragility of embodied life amid violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior has been killed and falls from the front of his chariot. The fall is compared to a strong śāla tree cut down by axes, emphasizing the sudden, heavy collapse that follows a fatal blow.