Shloka 463

Devanagari script

गरुडस्थेव पततो जिघृक्षो: पन्नगोत्तमम्‌ । नरेश्वर! रथसे उछलकर दौड़ते हुए महामना अश्वत्थामाका वेग बहुत बड़े सर्पको पकड़नेके लिये झपटे हुए गरुड़के समान प्रतीत हुआ

Transliteration

garuḍastheva patato jighṛkṣoḥ pannagottamam | nareśvara rathastha uccalya dhāvataḥ mahāmanā aśvatthāmanaḥ vegaḥ bahuḥ sarpaṃ grahītuṃ jhaṭpataḥ garuḍa iva pratibhātaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O king, as he sprang up on his chariot and rushed forward, the high-souled Aśvatthāman appeared like Garuḍa swooping down from the sky, intent on seizing the best of serpents. His onrushing speed and predatory focus conveyed the ruthless momentum of battle, where prowess and intent can eclipse restraint.”

Word by Word

• गरुडस्थः: standing/being on (like) Garuḍa; Garuḍa-like
• गरुडस्थः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरुड-स्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पततः: of (one) flying
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• जिघृक्षोः: of (one) wishing to seize
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह्
• Form: सन्-अन्त (desiderative) + शतृ/शानच्-आधारित इच्छार्थक (desiderative participial stem), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• पन्नग-उत्तमम्: the best of serpents
• पन्नग-उत्तमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग-उत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नर-ईश्वर: O lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as nareśvara)
• Aśvatthāman
• Garuḍa
• Serpent (pannaga/pannagottama)
• Chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how intention (jighṛkṣā—desire to seize) and momentum (vega—force) shape action in war: when the mind fixes on capture and victory, one can become like a predator, and ethical restraint is easily overshadowed by martial drive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Aśvatthāman suddenly surging forward on his chariot with great speed. His movement is compared to Garuḍa swooping to snatch a powerful serpent, emphasizing swift, decisive aggression in the ongoing battle.