Shloka 29

द्रोण–सात्यकि द्वैरथम्

Droṇa and Sātyaki: The Chariot Duel

Devanagari script

तानन्हायाधिगच्छेयं न चेद्धन्यां जयद्रथम्‌ । माता-पिताकी हत्या करनेवालोंको जो लोक प्राप्त होते हैं, गुरु-पत्नीगामी और चुगलखोरोंको जिन लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होती है, साधुपुरुषोंकी निन्दा करनेवालों और दूसरोंको कलंक लगानेवालोंको जो लोक प्राप्त होते हैं, धरोहर हड़पने और विश्वासघात करनेवालोंको जिन लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होती है, दूसरेके उपभोगमें आयी हुई स्त्रीको ग्रहण करनेवाले, पापकी बातें करनेवाले, ब्रह्महत्यारे और गोघातियोंको जो लोक प्राप्त होते हैं, खीर, यवान्न, साग, खिचड़ी, हलवा, पूआ आदिको बलिवैश्वदेव किये बिना ही खानेवाले मनुष्योंको जो लोक प्राप्त होते हैं, यदि मैं कल जयद्रथका वध न कर डालूँ तो मुझे भी तत्काल उन्हीं लोकोंको जाना पड़े || २५--२८ $ || वेदाध्यायिनमत्यर्थ संशितं वा द्विजोत्तमम्‌

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | tān aham āyādhigaccheyaṁ na ced dhanyāṁ jayadratham |

Translation

Arjuna said: “May I fall into those very realms (of grievous sinners) if I do not slay Jayadratha tomorrow.” In the heat of battle and grief, Arjuna binds himself by a terrible vow: if he fails to punish the one held responsible for Abhimanyu’s death, he accepts the same moral and spiritual consequence as those who commit the most condemned betrayals and violations of dharma.

Word by Word

तान्those (worlds/realms)

अह्नायimmediately, at once

अधिगच्छेयम्I should attain/reach

नnot

चेत्if

हन्याम्I should kill

जयद्रथम्Jayadratha

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Jayadratha

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?

The verse highlights the binding force of a vow (pratijñā) and the moral seriousness with which one accepts responsibility: Arjuna stakes his own spiritual fate on fulfilling a dharmic act of justice as he understands it, showing how intention, accountability, and resolve are treated as ethically weighty in the epic.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Abhimanyu’s killing, Arjuna identifies Jayadratha as the key enabler who prevented help from reaching Abhimanyu. In rage and grief, Arjuna publicly vows that he will kill Jayadratha the next day; failing that, he declares he deserves the same dire fate as the worst transgressors.