Shloka 20

Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ निपतिते नागे वज्रदत्तस्य पाण्डव: । तं॑ न भेतव्यमित्याह ततो भूमिगतं नृपम्‌

Transliteration

tasmin nipatite nāge vajradattasya pāṇḍavaḥ | taṁ na bhetavyam ity āha tato bhūmigataṁ nṛpam ||

Translation

വജ്രദത്തന്റെ ആന വീണപ്പോൾ രാജാവ് വജ്രദത്തനും നിലത്തേക്ക് വീണു. അപ്പോൾ പാണ്ഡവനായ അർജുനൻ അവനോട് പറഞ്ഞു—“രാജാവേ! ഭയപ്പെടേണ്ട.”

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular

• निपतिते: having fallen / when (it) had fallen
• निपतिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-पत्
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Locative, Singular

• नागे: on/when the elephant
• नागे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• वज्रदत्तस्य: of Vajradatta
• वज्रदत्तस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्रदत्त
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• पाण्डवः: the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• भेतव्यम्: is to be feared / should be feared
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी
• Form: Gerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• आह: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ततः: then / thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• भूमिगतं: fallen to the ground / on the ground
• भूमिगतं: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूमिगत
• Form: Past participle (गत, with उपसर्ग/समास), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नृपम्: the king
• नृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Arjuna
• Vajradatta
• elephant

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid battle, dharma requires courage without panic and restraint toward a fallen foe; Arjuna’s reassurance models a warrior’s composure and humane conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vajradatta’s elephant collapses, and Vajradatta falls to the ground; Arjuna immediately speaks to him, telling him not to be afraid.