Shloka 47

Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य मागधस्य महागजम्‌ । जघानैकेषुणा वीर: सौभद्र: परवीरहा,मगधनरेशके उस विशाल गजको आते देख शत्रुवीरोंका नाश करनेवाले वीर सुभद्राकुमारने उसे एक ही बाणसे मार डाला

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṃ samprekṣya māgadhasya mahāgajam | jaghānaikeṣuṇā vīraḥ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing the mighty elephant of the king of Magadha charging straight at him, the valiant son of Subhadrā—slayer of enemy-heroes—struck it down with a single arrow. In the moral atmosphere of the battle, the verse highlights alertness, precision, and the warrior’s duty to neutralize a grave threat swiftly, even when it comes in the formidable form of a war-elephant.

Word by Word

तम्him/that (elephant)

आपतन्तम्rushing/charging (towards)

सम्प्रेक्ष्यhaving seen/observed

मागधस्यof the Magadhan (king)

महागजम्the great elephant

जघानslew/struck down

एकेषुणाwith a single arrow

वीरःthe hero

सौभद्रःthe son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)

परवीरहाslayer of enemy-heroes

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)

Magadha

Magadhan king (Māgadha)

mahāgaja (war-elephant)

single arrow (eka iṣu)

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

What is the core teaching?

In a dharma-framed battlefield, a warrior must act with vigilance and proportional force to remove immediate danger. The verse underscores disciplined attention (samprekṣya) and decisive skill (eka-iṣuṇā) in fulfilling kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

A massive war-elephant belonging to the Magadhan side charges forward. Abhimanyu (Saubhadra), seeing it rush at him, kills it with a single arrow, demonstrating exceptional prowess amid the Kurukṣetra combat.