Shloka 41

Devanagari script

ततो5पतद्‌ू रथात्‌ तूर्ण पाउ्चालकुलनन्दन: । पर्वताग्रादिव महांश्वम्पको वायुपीडित:,फिर तो पांचालकुलको आनन्दित करनेवाला वह राजकुमार वायुसे टूटकर पर्वतके शिखरसे नीचे गिरनेवाले चम्पाके विशाल वृक्षके समान तुरंत रथसे नीचे गिर पड़ा

Transliteration

tato ’patad rathāt tūrṇaṃ pāñcālakulanandanaḥ | parvatāgrād iva mahāṃś campako vāyupīḍitaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then the delight of the Pāñcāla line suddenly fell down from his chariot—like a great campaka tree, wind-battered, crashing from a mountain peak. The image underscores the brutal swiftness of war: even the noble and beloved can be brought down in an instant, as if nature itself were casting them to the ground.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस्
• Form: Avyaya (ablatival adverb: 'from there/thereupon')

• अपतत्: fell down
• अपतत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Ablative singular

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण
• Form: Avyaya (adverb)

• पाञ्चालकुलनन्दनः: the delight of the Panchala lineage (Panchala prince)
• पाञ्चालकुलनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल-कुल-नन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• पर्वताग्रात्: from a mountain-peak
• पर्वताग्रात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत-अग्र
• Form: Neuter, Ablative singular

• इव: like/as if
• इव: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: Avyaya (particle of comparison)

• महान्: great/huge
• महान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• चम्पकः: a champaka tree
• चम्पकः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• वायुपीडितः: buffeted/struck by the wind
• वायुपीडितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायु-पीडित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular (past passive participle: पीडित from √पीड्)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pāñcāla prince (pāñcālakulanandanaḥ)
• chariot (ratha)
• mountain peak (parvatāgra)
• campaka tree (campaka)
• wind (vāyu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of embodied life and status in the chaos of war: even a celebrated prince can be felled instantly. The ethical undertone is a sober reminder of the destructive momentum of battle and the impermanence of worldly power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a Pāñcāla prince suddenly falls from his chariot. The fall is compared to a massive campaka tree, broken and driven down by wind from a mountain peak—emphasizing the suddenness and force of the event.