Shloka 29

Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)

Devanagari script

प्रगृह्ा च शरं घोरमेक॑ सर्पविषोपमम्‌ | प्राहिणोद्‌ भीमसेनाय वधाकाड्भक्षी जनेश्वर:,इधर क्रोधमें भरे हुए कलिंगराजने धनुषकी प्रत्यंचाको रगड़कर सर्पके समान विषैला एक भयंकर बाण हाथमें लिया और भीमसेनके वधकी इच्छासे उनपर चलाया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pragṛhya ca śaraṃ ghoraṃ ekaṃ sarpaviṣopamam | prāhiṇod bhīmasenāya vadhākāṅkṣī janeśvaraḥ ||

Translation

സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ക്രോധത്തിൽ ജ്വലിച്ച ജനേശ്വരനായ കലിംഗരാജൻ സർപ്പവിഷംപോലെ വിഷമുള്ള ഒരു ഭയങ്കര അമ്പ് കൈയിൽ എടുത്തു; ഭീമസേനനെ വധിക്കണമെന്ന ഉദ്ദേശത്തോടെ അത് അവന്റെ നേരെ വിട്ടു।

Word by Word

• प्रगृह्य: having taken/after taking
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (√ग्रह्)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), कर्तरि

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• शरम्: arrow
• शरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• एकम्: one/single
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सर्पविषोपमम्: like serpent-venom
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्पविषोपम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्राहिणोत्: sent/shot (forth)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हि (√हि)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भीमसेनाय: to/against Bhimasena
• भीमसेनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• वधाकाङ्क्षी: desiring (his) killing
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वधाकाङ्क्षिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जनेश्वरः: the lord of men (king)
• जनेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनेश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Kaliṅgarāja (King of Kaliṅga)
• śara (arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha) can dominate intention, making one act with a singular aim to destroy. Even within the battlefield context, it warns that personal wrath and the desire to kill can eclipse discernment and dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the king of Kaliṅga, enraged, taking up a terrifying, snake-venom-like arrow and shooting it at Bhīmasena with the explicit intention of killing him.