Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गरुत्मान्‌ वज़सदृशै: पक्षतुण्डनखैस्तथा । प्रहर्तुकामो न्यपतदाकाशात्‌ कृष्णपाण्डवौ,एक गरुडजातीय पक्षी- वज्जके समान पाँख, चोंच और पंजोंसे प्रहार करनेकी इच्छा रखकर आकाशसे श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनकी ओर झपटा

Transliteration

garutmān vajrasadṛśaiḥ pakṣatuṇḍanakhaiḥ tathā | prahartukāmo nyapatad ākāśāt kṛṣṇapāṇḍavau ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Garutmān, with wings, beak, and talons like a thunderbolt, swooped down from the sky upon Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), intent on striking them. The scene underscores how even mighty beings, driven by sudden aggression or delusion, may rush toward violence—yet the presence of dharmic heroes frames the moment as a test of restraint, protection, and right response to unprovoked threat.

Word by Word

गरुत्मान्Garutmān (Garuda)

वज्रसदृशैःwith (things) like a thunderbolt

पक्षतुण्डनखैःwith wings, beak, and claws

तथाalso/likewise

प्रहर्तुकामःdesirous of striking

न्यपतत्fell down / swooped down

आकाशात्from the sky

कृष्णपाण्डवौKrishna and the Pandava (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Garutmān (Garuḍa-like bird)

Kṛṣṇa

Arjuna (Pāṇḍava)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes