Shloka 29

Bhagadatta’s Astra and the Fall of the Prāgjyotiṣa King (भगदत्त-वधः / वैष्णवास्त्र-प्रसङ्गः)

Devanagari script

त॑ प्राप्तमपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्विपम्‌ सारोहें मृत्युसात्कर्तु स्मरन्‌ धर्म धनंजय:,यद्यपि वह महान्‌ गजराज आक्रमण करते समय अपने बहुत निकट आ गया था, तो भी अर्जुनने धर्मका स्मरण करके सवारोंसहित उस हाथीको मृत्युके अधीन करनेकी इच्छा नहीं की-

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | taṁ prāptam api neyeṣa parāvṛttaṁ mahādvipam | sārohaṁ mṛtyusāt kartuṁ smaran dharmaṁ dhanañjayaḥ ||

Translation

ಆ ಮಹಾದ್ವಿಪವು ಬಹಳ ಸಮೀಪಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದರೂ, ಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಸ್ಮರಿಸಿದ ಧನಂಜಯ ಅರ್ಜುನನು ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿದ ಆ ಆನೆಯನ್ನೂ ಅದರ ಸವಾರರನ್ನೂ ಮರಣಾಧೀನಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಇಚ್ಛಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ।

Word by Word

• प्राप्तम्: having come/arrived; reached (it)
• प्राप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अपि: even/although
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• ईयेष: he wished/attempted (to go/do)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• परावृत्तम्: turned back/retreating
• परावृत्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा-वृत् (धातु) → परावृत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महाद्विपम्: the great elephant
• महाद्विपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाद्विप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सारोहम्: together with its rider(s)
• सारोहम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मृत्युसात्: to the power of death; into death’s grasp
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मृत्यु-सात् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-रूप)

• कर्तुम्: to make/do
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मरन्त् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धर्मम्: dharma; righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• mahādvipa (great elephant)
• riders (sāroha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, dharma can require restraint: when an opponent has turned back or is no longer actively threatening, righteous conduct may discourage needless killing—especially of those who are merely mounted upon a beast.

What is happening in the narrative?

A great war-elephant charges close to Arjuna, but then turns back. Arjuna, recalling dharma, refrains from killing the elephant along with its riders, showing ethical hesitation amid the violence of battle.